LITTLE  GARDENS 


X-! 


{, 


•j* 


MYRJA  MARGARET  HIGGINS 


GIFT  OF 
Agric.  Educ.  Division 


LITTLE  GAKDENS 

FOE 

BOYS  AM)  GIKLS 


AN  EARLY   FAILURE  (page  3) 


POSSIBILITIES  (page  3) 


LITTLE  GARDENS 

FOR 

BOYS  AND   GIRLS 


MYRTA   MAKGAKET    HIGGINS 


BOSTON  AND  NEW  YORK 
HOUGHTON  MIFFLIN  COMPANY 

Cambnti0e 
1910 


*&2* 


COPYRIGHT,   IQIO,  BY  MYRTA  MARGARET  BIGGINS 
ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED 


Published  February  IQIO 


^ 


TO   THE    BOYS   AND    GIRLS 

WHO    HAVE    HELPED    ME    TO   FIND 

WHAT    IS   WORTH   WHILE 

IN   A   GARDEN 


6- 1 
<  O  ^ 


PREFACE 

THIS  little  book  has  been  written  out  of  my 
own  experience  in  trying  to  help  hundreds  of 
boys  and  girls  to  find  the  true  value  of  gar- 
dening. It  is  written  for  the  larger  number  of 
boys  and  girls  who  have  neither  greenhouses 
nor  old  established  gardens,  and  I  have  hoped  to 
answer  some  of  the  questions  which  I  have  been 
obliged  to  answer  orally  many  times. 

My  aim  has  been  twofold,  —  first,  to  make 
plain  subjects  that  at  first  mention  seem  so 
simple  they  are  seldom  explained  even  in 
books  for  boys  and  girls,  —  such  as  the  best 
way  to  take  a  weed  out  of  the  ground,  or 
how  a  garden  path  should  be  cleaned;  sec- 
ondly, to  arouse  an  interest  in  plant  life  that 
will  be  lasting  and  helpful. 

This  book  is  written  in  the  hope  that  it 
may  become  a  companion  to  the  young  gar- 

vii 


PREFACE 

dener  and  a  guide  to  those  who  are  trying 
to  help  him.  It  does  ndt  claim  to  furnish  ex- 
tensive information  on  gardening,  but  rather 
to  give  the  right  suggestion  at  the  right 
time  and  the  inspiration  for  a  further  search 
for  garden  knowledge  and  experiences.  First 
arousing  interest  in  the  larger  world-garden, 
and  in  the  plant,  which  is  the  garden  unit,  it 
begins  with  the  fall  months,  when  a  garden 
should  be  begun,  and  follows  through  the  sea- 
sons. If  allowed  to  become  a  part  of  the  gar- 
den experience  year  after  year,  the  meaning 
of  its  words  will  become  clearer  to  the  boy  or 
girl,  for  of  necessity,  and  in  order  to  lead  them 
into  garden  paths  and  the  terms  of  a  gar- 
dener, I  have  used  some  words  which  must 
be  turned  over  in  the  mind  many  times. 

If  the  right  point  of  view  shall  have  been 
attained  by  the  young  gardener,  the  purpose 
of  my  book  will  have  been  fulfilled. 


CONTENTS 

I.  THE  GREAT  WORLD-GARDEN    .        .      . .    ,  .        .  1 

II.   THE  PLANT  STORY        .        .        .        .        .        .  17 

III.  TOOLS  AND  PLANS     .                 29 

IV.  WHEN  AND  How  TO  BEGIN* 45 

V.  AUTUMN  WORK  IN  THE  GARDEN      ....  53 

VI.   THE  GARDEN  IN  WINTER  AND  INDOOR  GARDENING         63 

VII.   GARDEN  FRIENDS  AND  A  DREAM  GARDEN       .        .    73 

Vin.   GARDEN  HANDICRAFT    .        .        .       c  „        .       V       81 

IX.  THE  PREPARATION  FOR  SPRING      "  *.      ".        .        .    89 

X.  SPRING  WORK  IN  THE  GARDEN    ....      103 

XI.   Do  ROSES  GROW  FROM  SEED  ? 113 

XII.   GARDEN  HELPS  AND  HINDRANCES         .        .        .      121 

XIII.  SUMMER  IN  THE  GARDEN 131 

XIV.  THE  HARVEST 141 

XV.  IN  THE  YEARS  TO  COME  ...  .  149 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

An  Early  Failure  1 

>  (page  3)        .        .        .        *      Frontispiece 
Possibilities  ) 

A  Glimpse  of  the  Great  World-Garden      .  4 

Before  .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .,      .        .    12 

After        .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .        12 

A  Young  Gardener  with  her  Tools        .        .        .        .        .32 

Facing  down     .        .         .        .        ...        .        .        .        32 

Garden  Plans       ...        .        .        .        .        .       40-44 

Diagram  showing  Depths  and  Distances  for  planting  Bulbs       59 
A  Cold-Frame       .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .61 

Garden  Stake   .        .        .        .        .        .        .        ..84 

Markers       .        .        .        .        ...        .        .        .84 

Sweet  Alyssum .        .        94 

The  Vegetable  Garden          .        .        .        ,        .        .        .94 
A  Flower  Garden  just  started    .         .         .         .         *        *       108 

The  Same  Garden  in  Full  Bloom 108 

The  Hight  Way  to  weed  a  Flower-Bed       ....      134 

Watering  the  Garden   .  * 134 

A  Trellis  ....       *S       .        .       V       .        .      137 
The  Reward  of  the  Harvest  .-        .....  144 


I 

THE  GREAT  WORLD-GARDEN 


O  world  as  God  has  made  it !  All  is  beauty. 

BROWNING. 

The  very  world,  which  is  the  world 
Of  all  of  us. 

WORDSWORTH. 

God  gives  us  with  our  rugged  soil 
The  power  to  make  it  Eden  fair. 

WHITTIER. 


LITTLE   GARDENS  FOE  BOYS 
AKD  GIEL8 

CHAPTER  I 

THE   GREAT   WORLD-GARDEN 

How  happy  are  the  faces  of  the  children  in 
the  frontispiece  of  this  little  book !  They  are 
happy  because  they  are  learning  to  make  gar- 
dens. Even  the  little  girl  who  has  failed  to 
make  a  weed  grow  in  a  tin  can  is  not  discour- 
aged, and  the  children  hovering  over  the  bas- 
ket of  flowers  are  happy  as  bees.  It  is  a  great 
delight  to  have  a  garden  all  one's  own.  Yet 
what  seems  to  belong  to  ourselves  alone  is 
shared  by  many  another.  Not  to  the  seedsman 
alone,  but  to  many  others  al&^we/Qwe^oiir 
thanks  for  aid  in  making  o^ux/ga^^.^P^^fe 
ourselves  alone  is  all  the  pleasure  and  the  profit. 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

Even  the  passer-by  shares  in  the  joy  of  the 
bright  colors.  Together  we  have  a  common  in- 
terest in  the  great  world-garden  about  us,  which 
supplies  us  with  the  material  for  all  our  gardens. 

Let  us  look  at  that  great  world-garden  and  see 
what  it  means  to  us.  An  all- wise  Gardener  must 
have  planned  the  great  garden  that  spreads  over 
the  hills  and  valleys.  If  you  go  out  into  the  fields 
and  woods  you  see  flowers  blossoming  that  no 
man  planted  or  tended,  trees  that  no  man  cared 
for,  making  shelter  for  the  birds,  and  cool,  shady 
places  for  man  and  beast.  There,  too,  is  food  for 
all  the  wild  creatures. 

It  may  seem  to  you  that  all  these  things  have 
grown  up  without  any  plan  or  care,  but  if  you 
look  carefully,  and  learn  what  the  past  history 
of  this  earth  tells  us,  you  will  see  that  our  world- 
garcfen  il-dfe^igtped  along  a  most  careful  plan ; 
th#i  IS  is;I>eing^r]4nted  and  tended  by  winds  and 
streams,  storms  and  birds,  and  all  the  many  forces 

4 


THE   GREAT  WORLD-GARDEN 

and  creatures  of  nature.  Men  who  have  studied 
the  face  of  the  earth  tell  us  of  an  ice  age  when 
great  rivers  of  ice  flowing  down  over  the  land 
crushed  the  great  boulders  of  rock,  grinding 
them  together  until  parts  of  them  were  made 
into  gravel  and  sand;  and  how  the  heat  and 
cold  and  the  acid  substances  have  cracked  and 
broken  the  stones,  and  the  storms  have  swept 
down  upon  the  land,  and  washed  the  finely 
ground  sand  in  between  the  huge  boulders  and 
made  the  fertile  valleys,  leaving  the  fine  soil  on 
top  and  the  coarse  sand  below  to  provide  a  good 
drainage  for  the  world-garden.  A  wonderful 
life,  both  animal  and  vegetable,  has  sprung  up 
on  this  field  of  soil.  For  centuries  men  did 
little  with  the  wonderful  forces  that  were  in 
their  hands.  Deserts  remained  deserts;  dry 
lands  became  drier.  Only  here  and  there  crude 
efforts  were  made  to  renew  the  land's  fertility. 
But  with  the  dawn  of  our  century  of  electricity 

5 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

and  science  we  began  to  watch  and  work  for 
the  possibilities  that  lie  in  this  great  earth  of 
ours,  and  lo!  we  found  that  the  desert  could 
be  made  to  bloom  again  and  the  dry  land  per- 
manently watered,  the  barren  soil  renewed,  the 
starved  plants  given  new  life,  and  the  plant 
world  made  subject  to  man's  use. 

We  are  learning  not  to  neglect  our  forests 
and  waterways,  our  fields,  and  our  friends  of  the 
animal  world,  but  to  care  for  them,  protect  and 
control  them  in  such  a  way  that  nothing  shall 
be  wasted,  but  all  made  to  serve  its  purpose  in 
the  great  world-garden.  Some  men  are  working 
wonders  in  the  plant  world,  creating  new  fruits 
and  flowers  that  will  be  stronger  and  more  use- 
ful than  the  old.  Luther  Burbank,  whose  name 
is  of  world-wide  fame  for  his  wonderful  crea- 
tions, has  produced  a  cactus  that  is  good  food  for 
man,  and  that  can  be  raised  on  our  own  barren 
deserts  where  once  we  thought  nothing  of  any 

6 


THE   GREAT  WORLD-GARDEN 

value  would  grow.  Others  are  using  the  discov- 
ered powers  of  the  twentieth  century  to  hold 
back  the  rivers  and  turn  them  into  the  dry  lands, 
where  they  make  the  waste  country  bloom  and 
yield  food  for  man.  Still  others  are  searching  to 
find  out  the  use  of  birds  and  insects,  and  all  the 
other  wonderful  forms  of  life  that  exist  in  our 
garden. 

When  we  look  about  us  we  see  that  the  places 
which  are  not  clean  and  beautiful  are  the  result 
of  man's  neglect  or  abuse.  Now  we  each  and  all 
can  do  our  part  to  make  and  keep  this  world- 
garden  a  place  pleasant  to  live  in,  and  a  place 
filled  with  good  things.  It  is  better  for  us  to 
begin  by  doing  a  little  and  doing  it  well.  We 
should  be  careful  to  help  and  not  hinder,  and 
work  with  others  in  unity,  so  that  a  harmoni- 
ous result  shall  be  attained.  Wherever  we  make 
our  own  little  garden,  we  should  remember  that 
we  must  do  nothing  to  mar  the  home-grounds 

7 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

about  us,  but  help  to  make  them  beautiful.  We 
should  remember  that  no  matter  where  we  live 
we  have  neighbors  near  or  distant,  we  are  a  part 
of  larger  families,  —  the  town  or  city  family,  the 
country  family,  the  great  world  family.  The 
interests  of  the  fields,  forests,  and  waterways  are 
our  interests;  the  interests  of  the  parks  and 
common  grounds,  and  streets  and  buildings,  are 
our  interests ;  and  the  health,  cleanliness,  and 
beauty  of  our  home  city,  town,  or  village  di- 
rectly concern  and  affect  us  for  good  or  for  evil. 
Some  day  it  may  be  the  duty  and  privilege  of 
many  of  us  to  help  in  forming  a  town  or  city, 
or  to  help  in  caring  for  streets  and  common 
grounds ;  and  we  are  not  too  young  to  begin  to 
think  about  such  things  now,  and  to  look  about 
us  to  see  how  such  things  are  done.  We  like 
clean  streets.  Have  the  people  provided  boxes 
for  waste  paper  and  rubbish  ?  Do  the  boys  and 
girls  help  to  keep  the  place  clean  by  putting 

8 


THE   GREAT  WORLD-GARDEN 

things  in  their  proper  places  instead  of  scatter- 
ing them  ?  Look  about  the  streets  of  your  town. 
Which  streets  do  you  likebest  ?  The  broad  street 
shaded  by  beautiful  street-trees  where  the  homes 
are  surrounded  by  green  lawns,  trees  and  shrubs, 
with  flowers  and  vegetables  in  abundance.  Are 
you  helping  to  care  for  the  trees  on  your  street? 
Are  you  doing  all  you  can  to  keep  the  lawn 
clean  and  green,  and  to  protect  the  garden? 
When  you  visit  parks  and  commons,  do  you  re- 
member that  they  belong  partly  to  you  and  that 
they  are  to  be  enjoyed  and  not  abused? 

One  of  the  problems  to  be  met  in  every  place 
is  the  disposal  of  ashes,  refuse  and  rubbish.  It 
is  sometimes  partly  controlled  by  the  town  or 
city,  sometimes  partly  controlled  by  an  im- 
provement society,  and  too  often  not  properly 
controlled  by  any  one.  Refuse,  if  not  used  as  food 
for  animals,  should  be  buried  deeply  away  from 
buildings,  or  burned  and  then  buried,  or  carried 

9 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

away  and  disposed  of  as  the  town  may  provide. 
Rubbish  should  be  carefully  stored  in  barrels  or 
boxes  and  frequently  hauled  away.  It  should  be 
dumped  only  in  places  that  need  to  be  filled  in, 
and  only  when  the  owner  of  the  land  consents. 
The  owner,  or  the  Improvement  Society,  should 
see  that  such  places  are  frequently  covered  with 
soil,  or  at  least  that  small  spots  here  and  there 
are  given  a  little  soil  and  planted  with  vines  such 
as  the  wild  cucumber  or  the  virgin's  bower,  so 
that  the  place  will  be  covered,  at  least  in  sum- 
mer. Wood  ashes  are  excellent  for  lawn  and  gar- 
den, but  coal  ashes  tend  to  harden  the  ground 
and  are  usually  good  only  for  filling  in  hollows. 
Ash  barrels,  garbage  pails,  and  rubbish  heaps  can 
at  least  be  protected  and  hidden  by  trellises  and 
vines,  just  as  clothes-lines  and  small  buildings 
about  the  place  are  often  cared  for  in  such  a  way 
that  the  landscape  is  not  made  ugly  by  their 
presence.  There  is  a  way  to  dispose  of  every- 

10 


THE   GREAT  WORLD-GARDEN 

thing  so  that  nothing  shall  become  a  menace  to 
health  or  an  unsightly  object. 

What  each  one  does  toward  making  the 
world-garden  more  beautiful  may  be  yery  little, 
but  it  all  counts.  It  may  be  that  some  can  have 
only  a  window-box,  or  a  single  plant,  or  a  tub 
or  a  box  of  plants.  Some  may  have  a  single  tree 
or  shrub  to  care  for,  while  others  may  care  for 
a  whole  lawn,  grass,  shrubs,  trees  and  flowers, 
and  walks.  If  you  have  a  shady  corner  where 
many  flowers  will  not  grow,  fill  it  with  ferns  from 
the  dry  woodland.  Some  people  think  they  can- 
not have  any  flowers  because  they  have  only  shady 
corners,  but  with  ferns  for  a  background  you 
may  have  forget-me-nots  and  lilies-of-the- valley 
for  early  flowers,  and  fairy  lilies  and  pansies  for 
later  bloom.  The  fairy  lily  is  sometimes  called 
zephyranthes  or  zephyr  flower.  It  grows  from  a 
bulb,  and  its  pink  or  white  star-like  blossom  is 
very  pretty  among  the  ferns.  There  are  other 

11 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

flowers  that  bloom  in  the  shade,  but  these  are 

j# 

the  prettiest,  I  think. 

You  need  not  fail  to  have  flowers  because  of 
lack  of  plants  or  seeds,  for  if  you  live  in  the  city 
seeds  are  inexpensive,  and  if  you  live  in  the 
country  there  are  many  wild  flowers  that  will 
flourish  in  your  gardens.  What  can  be  more 
beautiful  than  golden-rod  in  autumn  and  violets 
in  the  spring? 

As  I  was  saying,  there  is  something  for  each 
of  us  to  do  to  make  the  world-garden  more  beau- 
tiful, and  some  of  us  find  very  much  to  do. 
When  the  garden  idea  came  to  one  boy  he  found 
that  the  small  ground  space  around  his  home 
was  almost  as  bare  as  the  street.  He  made  a 
lawn  and  a  small  flower  bed  near  the  house  and 
in  the  corner  of  the  fence.  At  the  back  of  the 
house  he  planted  vines  to  cover  the  fence  and 
an  old  building,  and  where  the  coal  ashes  had 
been,  he  planted  a  vegetable  garden  which  grew 


BEFORE 


AFTER 


- 


THE   GREAT  WORLD-GARDEN 

so  well  that  you  could  hardly  believe  that  he 
had  had  no  fertilizer.  How  did  he  do  it  ?  He 
spaded  and  raked  the  soil  very  thoroughly. 
He  planted  carefully.  He  had  no  roller  to  roll 
his  lawn,  so  he  pressed  it  firmly  with  a  board. 
He  had  no  watering-can,  or  hose,  or  lawn 
mower.  But  he  poured  water  on  his  lawn  and 
borrowed  a  mower  to  mow  it.  All  this  was  done 
in  a  place  that  had  been  bare  for  eight  years. 
He  kept  his  garden  well  weeded.  It  was  small, 
but  he  reaped  a  harvest  of  vegetables  and 
flowers.  He  had  never  done  any  gardening 
before,  but  was  willing  to  ask  advice  and  use 
it,  and  to  learn  from  his  own  experience. 

Many  boys  have  raised  vegetables  for  selling 
and  have  netted  good  sums  for  their  labor. 
Hundreds  of  boys  and  girls  are  beginning  to 
know  the  enjoyment  that  comes  from  reaping 
fresh  vegetables  and  flowers  raised  by  their  own 
care.  Some  children  living  in  tenements  have 

13 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

made  good  use  of  the  only  bit  of  land  they  had, 
which  was  under  the  clothes-lines.  By  hauling 
in  soil  and  banking  it  with  sod  they  made  flower 
beds  around  three  sides  and  a  circular  one  in  the 
centre,  still  leaving  room  to  walk  about  under 
the  lines.  There  is  no  spot  where  it  is  not  pos- 
sible to  have  a  garden  of  some  kind. 

If  you  are  going  to  make  a  flower  bed  or  a 
garden,  the  first  thing  to  do  is  to  look  about,  and 
think  and  plan.  So  many  boys  and  girls  put  the 
spade  into  the  ground  before  they  think,  and 
wonder  afterward  why  they  met  with  failure. 
"  Thought  before  Action"  must  be  your  garden 
motto.  The  first  thing  to  think  about  is  what 
you  haye  to  deal  with,  —  namely,  the  plant. 
The  soil,  the  air  and  water,  and  the  plant  food, 
all  these  and  many  other  things  will  haye  to  be 
reckoned  with,  but  your  means  to  your  end  and 
the  centre  of  your  interest  is  the  plant.  As  you 
study  the  plant  to  find  out  how  it  liyes  and  how 

14 


THE   GREAT  WORLD-GARDEN 

you  can  help  it  to  become  a  useful  and  beauti- 
ful thing  in  your  garden,  remember  that  you 
are  learning  to  do  your  part  toward  making  and 
keeping  the  great  world-garden  a  place  both 
pleasant  to  live  in  and  filled  with  good  things. 


II 

THE  PLANT  STOEY 


,- 


Flower  in  the  crannied  wall, 

I  pluck  you  out  of  the  crannies, 

I  hold  you  here,  root  and  all,  in  my  hand, 

Little  flower  —  but  if  I  could  understand 

What  you  are,  root  and  all,  and  all  in  all, 

I  should  know  what  God  and  man  is. 

TENNYSON. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE   PLANT   STORY 

PULL  a  full-grown  plant  out  of  the  ground. 
Here  you  haye  root,  stem,  leaf,  flower,  and  per- 
haps partly  developed  fruit  or  seed;  all  this 
from  the  tiny  green  sprout  you  saw  breaking 
its  way  up  out  of  the  ground  a  short  time  be- 
fore. In  order  to  grow  it  must  have  eaten.  The 
root  that  held  the  plant  in  the  ground  searched 
for  its  food  in  the  soil.  The  many  rootlets  tell 
you  how  diligently  it  searched.  From  these  root- 
lets many  short-lived  hairs  reached  out,  clung 
to  the  soil,  and  sucked  its  substance.  The  plant 
food  must  become  liquid  before  the  root  can 
take  it  up,  so  you  see  the  soil  must  be  very  fine, 
in  order  that  the  acid  in  the  root  and  the  water 
in  the  soil  may  dissolve  the  food  in  the  tiny 
particles.  The  food  is  taken  up  the  root  and 

19 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

stem  into  the  leaves,  where  it  is  spread  to  the 
air  and  sunshine.  The  leaves  are  the  stomach 
of  the  plant.  From  the  air,  from  water,  and 
from  the  plant  food  that  is  brought  up  from  the 
soil,  they  manufacture  substances  that  can  be  as- 
similated or  made  over  into  parts  of  the  grow- 
ing plant  body.  Some  of  these  substances  are 
often  stored  in  the  root  until  a  fruit  or  seed  be- 
gins to  form  in  the  blossom,  when  they  are 
needed  there.  Let  a  radish  go  to  seed,  and  cut 
open  the  root.  What  has  happened  ?  The  radish 
is  beginning  to  look  hollow.  The  food  has  been 
taken  up  to  nourish  the  seed. 

The  flower  of  the  plant  may  be  formed  in 
different  ways,  but  you  will  find  that  nearly 
always  it  has  an  outer  covering  to  protect  the 
bud,  called  the  calyx ;  then  comes  the  corolla, 
which  is  usually  the  part  we  admire  in  our 
flowers,  the  expanding,  showy  part.  The  parts 
of  the  calyx  are  called  sepals,  and  the  parts  of 

20 


THE   PLANT   STORY 

the  corolla  are  called  petals.  Inside  are  the  sta- 
mens, holding  pollen  in  their  anthers,  and  in  the 
centre  of  the  flower  is  the  pistil,  usually  a  tiny 
knobbed  stalk  leading  down  to  the  very  heart 
of  the  blossom,  where  it  enlarges  to  form  the 
little  seed-case  that  will  come  to  view  when  the 
petals  fall.  This  may  develop  into  a  fruit  like 
the  apple,  or  the  seed-cases  may  just  harden  and 
hold  the  seeds  until  they  are  ripe.  Some  of  the 
flowers,  such  as  the  poppy  and  the  china  pink, 
form  very  pretty  seed-boxes  to  hold  the  seeds. 
Some  seeds  fall  directly  to  the  ground,  while 
others  haying  feathery  tufts  are  carried  by  the 
wind  to  a  greater  distance.  The  seeds  of  your 
plants  are  not  less  interesting  than  the  showy 
flowers  which  came  before  them. 

Now  it  may  seem  to  you  that  all  this  has  no- 
thing to  do  with  gardening,  but  I  wished  you 
to  understand  why  you  ought  to  make  and  keep 
a  fine  soft  bed  of  soil,  and  to  furnish  plenty  of 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

water  for  those  tiny  rootlets.  If  you  realize  what 
the  plant  is  trying  to  do,  you  will  not  let  it 
die,  unless  by  so  doing  it  serves  a  high  pur- 
pose. This  little  plant  is  trying  to  live  forever, 
and  it  has  in  it  that  which  would  enable  it 
to  live,  though  its  outer  form  might  die  many 
times. 

A  plant  either  grows  a  seed  which,  planted, 
will  carry  on  the  life  within  it ;  or  it  sends  out, 
from  root,  stem,  or  leaf,  another  little  plant  to 
continue  the  life  within.  Some  plants  do  this 
readily,  while  others  have  to  be  helped.  A  plant 
may  die,  or,  we  might  say,  change  its  outer  form 
every  year.  If  so,  we  call  it  an  annual  plant.  If 
it  continues  two  years,  we  call  it  a  biennial.  If 
it  continues  many  years,  we  call  it  a  perennial. 
Nasturtiums  are  annuals ;  hollyhocks  and  sweet 
Williams  are  biennials;  peonies  and  roses  are 
perennials.  Lettuce  is  an  annual;  parsnips  are 
biennials,  though  we  use  them  before  they  de- 


THE   PLANT   STORY 

yelop  the  second  year;  rhubarb  is  perennial. 
Nowadays,  plants  have  been  so  changed  by  cul- 
tivation that  we  often  have  both  annual  and  per- 
ennial varieties  of  the  same  kind  of  plant,  and 
biennials  and  perennials  which  formerly  did  not 
bloom  the  first  year  from  seed  are  now  devel- 
oped so  that  they  can  be  made  to  do  so. 

The  plant  needs  to  be  kept  clean,  so  that  it 
can  breathe  through  its  pores,  and,  like  us,  needs 
plenty  of  water  and  good  air  as  well  as  food  to 
nourish  it.  Just  as  our  bodies  need  food  to  make 
blood,  bone,  and  muscle,  so  plants  need  their 
kind  of  food  to  produce  the  substances  which 
make  up  leaf,  flower,  and  fruit.  Much  of  the 
plant's  food  is  decayed  animal  or  vegetable  mat- 
ter and  pulverized  mineral  matter.  So,  you  see, 
the  world  is  so  well  planned  that  when  a  thing 
becomes  apparently  worthless  it  is  food  for  an- 
other kind  of  life,  and  that  life,  in  turn,  feeds 
another  form  of  life.  How  dependent  each  form 

23 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

of  life  on  another!  How  bound  up  together  that 
which  seems  divided! 

The  kinds  of  food  which  our  plants  need  may 
not  be  in  the  soil  where  we  have  chosen  to  have 
our  garden,  so  if  we  wish  a  good  growth  we  have 
to  supply  the  lack  in  the  form  of  special  plant 
foods  which  we  call  fertilizers.  When  a  chemist 
takes  the  soil  and  analyzes  it  he  finds  it  contains 
nearly  seventy  elements.  Only  twelve  of  the  sev- 
enty are  essential  to  agriculture,  however. 

Four  of  these  —  nitrogen,  phosphoric  acid, 
potash  and  lime  —  are  so  much  used  by  plant 
growth  that  sufficient  quantities  for  the  garden- 
er's use  are  seldom  found  in  the  soil.  They  can 
be  bought  in  different  forms,  as  they  are  found 
in  certain  rocks,  in  bone  and  other  materials, 
and  are  ground  up  for  the  gardener's  use.  They 
are  sometimes  combined  in  a  fertilizer  which  is 
often  called  the  commercial  fertilizer.  It  is  a 
study  in  itself  to  know  just  what  fertilizers  to 

24 


THE   PLANT   STORY 

buy  and  how  to  apply  them.  You  may  be  told 
that  nitrogen  is  best  for  vegetables  grown  for 
leaf  development,  as  lettuce  and  cabbage;  pot- 
ash for  root  growth  and  brilliant  bloom ;  and  that 
phosphoric  acid  produces  seed  and  fruit. 

Experiment  as  much  as  you  like,  but  never 
forget  that  the  best  all-round  fertilizer  is  a 
well-rotted  stable  manure,  from  a  stable  where 
horses,  cows,  and  pigs  are  kept,  as  on  a  farm. 
Remember  that  though  you  should  have  this 
if  you  can  get  it,  it  is  not  impossible  to  make  a 
little  garden  with  a  few  pounds  of  commercial 
fertilizer,  or  without  any  at  all ;  for  there  is 
always  some  plant  food  in  the  soil,  and  plenty  of 
water  and  sunshine  will  do  a  great  deal  if  you 
hoe  your  garden  well,  so  that  the  little  plant 
may  get  its  food  and  the  air  and  water  it  needs 
so  much.  "Wood  ashes  are  good  for  your  plant, 
and  waste  water  from  the  sink,  which  often 
contains  some  grease,  has  fed  many  a  plant  into 

25 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

better  growth.  Manure  from  the  poultry-yard 

s* 

may  be  used,  but  not  in  large  quantities  unless 
combined  with  wood  ashes. 

As  we  haye  said,  the  plant  food  must  finally 
become  a  liquid,  and  though  we  may  help  in 
this  matter  by  giving  water  to  our  gardens,  yet 
there  is  always  more  or  less  water  in  the  soil. 
It  comes  in  the  form  of  rain,  snow,  hail,  or  dew. 
It  sinks  into  the  soil  and  covers  the  particles 
like  a  film. 

The  soil  holds  the  food  and  water  for  the 
plant.  A  rock  contains  mineral  food,  but  only 
small  plants  like  mosses  can  grow  upon  it. 
When  the  processes  of  ages  have  worn  the  rock 
down  to  a  fine  sand,  the  food  it  contains  more 
easily  becomes  liquid,  and  it  supports  more 
plant  growth.  Certain  kinds  of  rock  finely 
gound  make  a  heavier  soil  than  sand,  which  we 
call  clay.  Besides  sand  and  clay,  there  is  de- 
cayed animal  and  vegetable  matter  in  the  soil, 

26 


THE   PLANT  STORY 

which  we  call  humus.  "We  find  humus  in  large 
quantities  in  the  woods  where  leaves  and  other 
matter  have  decayed  for  years.  The  heavier 
soils  hold  more  water,  but  they  do  not  part 
with  it  as  readily  as  sand.  A  good  garden  soil 
is  a  good  mixture  of  sand,  clay,  and  humus. 
The  humus  or  organic  matter  contains  the 
greatest  amount  of  plant  food. 

There  is  something  else  in  plant  life  that  we 
ought  to  know  about.  Some  time  pull  a  few 
bean  or  pea  plants  out  of  the  ground  and  ex- 
amine the  roots.  It  may  be  that  you  will  find 
tiny  knobs  on  the  roots  of  the  plants.  These  we 
call  nodules.  It  takes  a  strong  microscope  and 
a  man  of  science  to  tell  you  what  they  are.  As 
far  as  we  know  they  indicate  the  presence  of 
bacteria,  now  considered  to  be  a  low  form  of 
vegetable  life.  The  work  that  the  tiny  forms 
do  for  us  is  very  wonderful.  Nitrogen  is  a  pre- 
cious element  much  needed  by  the  agricultur- 

27 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

1st,  and  it  is  the  work  of  these  bacteria  to 

j* 

gather  it  from  the  air.  The  class  of  plants 
known  as  legumes  (peas,  etc.)  encourage  these 
bacteria  to  such  an  extent  that  they  are  often 
planted  and  ploughed  under  as  a  "  green  ma- 
nure/' where  nitrogen  is  needed  in  the  soil. 

Thus  man  finds  much  to  learn  from  the  study 
of  the  plant  and  its  ways  of  living.  Time  was 
when  every  plant  was  what  we  call  wild,  un- 
cultivated and  untrained.  Man  steps  in,  takes 
the  wild  fruits  and  makes  them  sweeter,  culti- 
vates the  wild  flowers  and  makes  them  larger. 
The  inhabitants  of  our  vegetable  garden  are 
the  descendants  of  plants  from  all  parts  of  the 
world,  often  much  changed  from  the  original 
plant.  Let  man  cease  to  cultivate  nature  and 
soon  all  would  run  wild  again.  But  man  is  not 
disposed  to  give  up  his  kingship,  and  so  he  is 
making  nature  serve  him  and  yield  him  ever 
increasing  returns  in  the  plant  world. 


Ill 

TOOLS  AND  PLANS 


Through  cunning,  with  dibble,  rake,  mattock,  and  spade, 
By  line  and  by  level  trim  garden  is  made. 

TUSSER. 


CHAPTER  III 

TOOLS  AND  PLANS 

TOOLS  do  not  make  a  garden.  It  is  the  will 
behind  the  tool  that  does  the  work,  and  it  may 
be  that  one  boy  will  do  more  with  a  stick  than 
another  with  a  whole  set  of  tools.  You  need 
not  be  kept  from  gardening  because  you  have 
no  tools,  for  with  the  aid  of  a  stick  you  can 
raise  lettuce  which,  sold  at  four  or  five  cents  a 
head,  will  soon  buy  a  hoe,  and  when  you  have 
a  hoe  you  can  raise  beans  which,  sold  at  seven 
cents  a  quart,  will  soon  give  you  money  for  a 
spading-fork,  and  when  you  have  a  hoe  and  a 
spading-fork,  you  have  the  most  necessary  tools 
for  gardening.  Remember  that  a  spade,  which 
resembles  a  flattened  shovel,  is  different  from 
the  spading-fork,  which  has  tines.  The  latter  is 
much  more  useful  in  breaking  up  the  ground. 

31 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

A  rake,  a  trowel,  and  a  weeder  are  the  next 
most  necessary  tools  for  you  to  have.  It  pays  to 
buy  good  tools.  They  last  longer  and  do  better 
work.  It  pays  to  keep  your  tools  clean  and  to 
sharpen  them  once  in  a  while.  Better  work 
more  easily  done  is  the  result.  It  pays  to  have 
a  good  place  for  each  tool  and  to  see  that  it  is 
always  put  in  its  place  when  you  have  finished 
using  it.  It  always  pays  to  keep  things  in  order. 
Orderliness  in  outward  things  helps  to  keep  an 
orderly  mind,  without  which  we  are  of  little 
use  in  the  world. 

A  knee-mat  is  a  good  thing  for  a  gardener  to 
have,  because  with  it  he  is  more  inclined  to 
take  an  easy  position  when  working  at  his  gar- 
den beds.  The  chapter  on  Garden  Handicraft 
will  give  suggestions  for  making  knee-mats. 

Watering-cans  are  rather  expensive  for  the 
amount  of  good  they  do.  Pails  can  be  used  if 
you  are  careful  to  hold  them  down  low  when 

32 


A  YOUNG  GARDENER  WITH  HER  TOOLS 


FACING    DOWN 


TOOLS  AND  PLANS 

pouring  the  water,  so  that  the  force  of  a  stream 
will  not  wash  away  the  soil.  A  tin  pail  with 
holes  driven  in  the  bottom  might  serve  the  pur- 
pose of  a  watering-can.  There  is  a  great  deal  in 
using  tools  so  as  to  make  them  do  their  best 
work  in  the  easiest  way.  Farther  on  I  shall 
have  more  to  say  about  watering  and  about  the 
uses  of  the  different  tools. 

Here  are  some  good  things  to  remember. 
When  you  start  to  do  your  gardening  do  not 
try  elaborate  schemes  that  never  look  well  un- 
less given  elaborate  care.  Make  simple  plans. 
Keep  flowers,  shrubs,  and  trees  for  the  most 
part  near  the  boundaries,  leaving  the  open  space 
for  lawn.  Trees  and  shrubs  make  a  background 
for  the  flowers.  If  planting  near  the  house, 
vines  or  tall  flowers  come  first,  then  masses  of 
a  lower  growth,  lastly  the  edgings.  This  we 
call  facing  down.  The  same  idea  may  be  used 
in  planting  near  fences  or  walls.  Cover  the 

33 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

background  with  vines,  shrubs  or  tall  plants, 

J|§ 

then  put  in  the  plants  of  medium  height,  and 
last  of  all  the  edgings,  just  as  trimming  is  put 
on  a  dress.  Now  you  may  have  very  little  to  do 
with  all  this,  but  it  is  well  for  you  to  know  about 
it.  In  choosing  the  spot  for  your  own  little 
garden,  if  you  have  an  opportunity  for  choice, 
don't  try  to  make  an  elaborate  flower  bed  on 
the  centre  of  the  lawn  if  there  is  any  other  place 
for  it.  If  you  wish  to  have  vegetables  or  any 
flowers  but  the  shade-loving  ones,  select  a 
sunny  spot.  It  would  be  a  very  good  plan  to 
have  one  tree  and  one  shrub  all  your  own  to 
care  for,  not  necessarily  in  your  garden  spot, 
but  in  a  suitable  place  on  the  lawn. 

If  you  intend  to  have  a  wild-flower  garden 
always  remember  in  bringing  wild  flowers  to 
your  home  grounds  that  flowers  growing  in  wet 
places  cannot  live  if  carried  to  dry  places,  and 
unless  you  have  a  wet  ground  to  put  them  in 

34 


TOOLS  AND  PLANS 

don't  try  to  move  them.  Wild  flowers  growing 
in  shady  woods  must  be  put  in  shady  corners. 
If  you  wish  wild  flowers  to  grow  in  a  sunny 
place,  get  some  from  the  open  field. 

Now  for  the  plans.  We  haye  spoken  of  the 
plan  of  the  entire  home  grounds ;  next  we  shall 
talk  of  the  plans  for  your  yery  own  flower  gar- 
den and  vegetable  plot,  and  of  the  general  prin- 
ciples of  garden  planning. 

You  cannot  make  a  plan  for  a  garden  until 
you  know  where  it  is  going  to  be.  You  must 
know  how  much  sun  and  shade  it  will  haye, 
from  what  direction  the  sun  will  shine  upon  it 
at  noonday,  what  kind  of  soil  it  contains,  and 
how  much  space  you  have  for  it,  also  whether 
it  is  to  be  alongside  a  fence  or  walk,  against  the 
house,  or  in  a  large  or  small  open  space.  When 
you  have  decided  where  your  garden  will  be 
you  should  note  all  these  things,  and  draw  a  plan 
on  paper  or  on  the  ground,  before  you  do  any 

35 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

spading.  Keep  a  plan  on  paper  for  future  refer- 
ence. Every  place  chosen  for  a  garden  should 
be  suggestive  of  a  plan  to  suit,  but  here  are  a 
few  good  suggestions  as  to  method  in  planning. 

If  you  have  not  learned  to  draw  at  school, 
you  had  better  make  a  very  simple  plan,  or  let 
some  one  make  it  for  you.  If  you  know  how  to 
use  a  ruler,  pencil  and  compass,  and  can  com- 
bine circles,  squares  and  oblongs,  practice  a 
while  on  paper  and  try  different  plans.  When 
you  lay  out  the  garden  you  should  have  in 
place  of  the  ruler  a  yard  measure  or  a  stick 
marked  off  by  feet ;  in  place  of  the  pencil  a 
pointed  stick  ;  and  for  a  compass,  a  line  and  two 
stakes,  one  to  swing  around  the  other.  If  you 
are  going  to  draw  a  plan  on  paper,  let  each  foot 
of  ground  be  represented  by  an  inch,  or  you 
may  take  any  other  scale  you  choose. 

In  drawing  garden  plans  you  must  remem- 
ber that  a  design  which  is  very  good  on  paper 

36 


TOOLS   AND   PLANS 

may  be  a  very  poor  plan  for  a  garden.  Keep 
your  plans  simple.  Study  the  size  and  situation 
of  your  space  and  make  the  plan  to  fit  it.  Never 
make  a  bed  so  wide  that  you  cannot  reach  the 
centre  without  stepping  into  it.  Make  paths 
not  less  than  two  feet  nor  more  than  four  feet 
wide.  Don't  forget  that  if  you  are  going  to 
have  a  little  flower  garden  or  vegetable  plot,  it 
is  safer  and  more  cosy  to  fence  it  around.  A 
wire  fence  may  be  used.  Consider  this  part  of 
your  garden  when  drawing  your  plan.  It  will 
prove  a  support  for  vines.  In  planning  a  vege- 
table garden  run  your  rows  as  nearly  north  and 
south  as  possible.  Plant  high  growths  such  as 
corn  at  the  north.  Make  beds  for  small  things 
in  a  sunny  situation,  not  behind  the  corn. 
Plant  squashes  and  other  vines  only  where  they 
will  have  a  chance  to  run. 

As  you  study  gardening  more,  you  will  be- 
come interested  in  the  different  forms  of  gar- 

37 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

dening.  Nations  show  their  individual  charac- 

_,<+ 

teristics  in  gardening,  as  in  other  arts.  If  there 
should  be  a  world  exhibition  of  gardens,  where 
each  nation  planted  a  garden  after  its  own 
manner,  we  could  easily  recognize  the  English 
garden  with  its  bright-hued  flower  gardens  in- 
closed by  well  -  trimmed  hedges  ;  the  Italian 
garden  with  its  evergreen  trees  clipped  into 
strange  forms,  its  fountains,  and  its  marble  fit- 
tings ;  and  the  Japanese  garden,  a  tiny  world 
by  itself,  delightfully  ordered  from  the  step- 
ping stones  to  the  sunset  tree ;  waterfall  and 
lakelet,  hillside  and  valley  forming  a  miniature 
landscape.  Here  in  America  our  gardens,  like 
our  cities,  have  been  cosmopolitan,  a  combina- 
tion of  the  gardens  of  all  the  other  countries, 
a  little  of  everything ;  but  now,  in  our  estab- 
lished independence,  we  are  seeking  in  all 
things  the  "natural  method,"  and  so  in  gar- 
dening we  are  coming  to  a  form  of  our  own. 

38 


TOOLS  AND  PLANS 

We  are  not  trying  to  crowd  a  whole  landscape 
into  a  small  place,  nor  are  we  trying  to  make 
our  out  of  doors  look  like  a  well-fitted  drawing- 
room,  however  beautiful,  but  we  are  taking 
Nature  as  she  is,  and  only  making  her  look  a 
little  more  abundant !  In  one  word,  "  natural- 
ization "  is  the  keynote  of  our  gardening  to- 
day. We  are  planting  the  crocus  and  narcissus 
where  they  fall  in  the  grass,  the  ferns  under 
the  apple  trees,  and  the  lilies  in  clumps  by  the 
wall.  So  much  for  garden  principles  and  the 
gardens  of  other  people  !  Now  we  can  see  bet- 
ter for  ourselves. 

Do  not  make  a  large  garden  the  first  year, 
because  you  cannot  take  care  of  much  space 
until  you  have  learned  how,  and  when  the 
weeding  season  comes  you  will  become  discour- 
aged if  your  garden  is  more  than  you  can  care 
for.  Here  are  a  few  plans  and  ideas  that  may 
help  you. 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

Although  the  general  outline  of  your  plan  should  be 
made  in  the  fall,  it  may  not  be  completely  filled  in  until 
you  select  your  seeds  in  preparation  for  the  spring. 

Flower  beds  for  various  places 


For  a  corner. 

5' 


For  a  circular  bed,  5J  feet 
across. 


a  Mass  of  plants, 
b  Edging. 


a  Mass  of  flowers,     b  Edging. 


For  a  border  at  the  side  of  a  lawn. 


a  Tallest  plants,     b  Next  in  height,     c  Considerably  lower,     d  Edging. 
A  simple  straight  border  along  a  walk. 

16' 


a  Mass  of  flowers.        b  Edging. 

40 


TOOLS  AND  PLANS 


A  group  of  flower  "beds 


a  Tallest  flowers. 

b  Flowers  of  medium  height. 

c  Edgings. 


Eadius  of  inner  circle  is  2  feet. 
To  make  edging,  increase  radius  ^  foot. 
To  make  path,  again  increase  radius  2  feet. 
To  make  second  edging,  again  increase  radius 


foot. 


41 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

A  flower  garden  which  may  not  be  attempted  the 
first  year  in  its  completeness,  but  beginning  at 
the  centre  it  may  grow  year  after  year  with  your 
experience 


a  Tallest  plants. 

b  Plants  of  erect  growth,  but  not  extremely  tall. 
c  Plants  of  fair  height,  more  spreading  growth. 
d  Edgings,  rather  stiff,  as  Dwarf  French  Marigold, 
dd  Edging,  more  branching,  etc. 
e  A  garden  seat  could  be  placed  here. 

42 


TOOLS  AND  PLANS 


An  idea  for  a  vegetable  garden 


X 


14* 


o 

o 
o 

o   o   o 

Corn 

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a  Drills  2  feet  apart  for  short  vegetables,  such  as 

dwarf  beans,  beets,  etc. 
b  Drills  1  foot  apart ;  short  rows,  assuming  they  may 

be  reached  only  from  one  side.     Good  for  onions, 

lettuce,  etc. 


LITTLE   GARDENS 


, 

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aa  Vines  over  trellis  above  garden  seat, 
a  Flowers. 

b  Tall  plants,  preferably  pole  beans. 
c  Lower,  more  spreading  plants,  preferably  tomatoes, 
d  Drills,  2  feet  apart,  short  growths. 
e  Hills  of  running  vines,  preferably  summer  squash. 


44 


IV 
WHEN  AND  HOW   TO  BEGIN 


A  good  beginning  is  half  the  battle. 

PROVERB. 


CHAPTER   IV 

WHEN   AND   HOW   TO   BEGIN 

You  may  begin  a  garden  at  any  time  of  the 
year.  There  is  always  something  you  can  do 
about  it,  but  the  best  time  for  beginning,  and 
the  time  that  you  should  set  aside  for  renew- 
ing your  garden  each  year,  is  in  the  autumn, 
when  the  frost  has  killed  the  weakest  plants, 
and  the  leaves  begin  to  fall. 

Select  a  sunny  spot  for  your  garden,  if  pos- 
sible, for  most  flowers  and  vegetables  are  sun- 
loving  plants.  Select  as  good  a  soil  as  you  can 
find  in  a  sunny  place.  As  we  have  said,  there 
are  sandy  soils,  and  clay  soils,  and  soils  made 
up  almost  wholly  of  humus  or  decaying  animal 
and  vegetable  matter,  such  as  you  find  under 
trees  in  the  woods,  where  a  rich  black  soil  is 
made  from  decaying  leaves  and  roots.  A  good 

47 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

garden  soil  is  the  right  combination  of  these 
three,  —  sand,  clay,  and  humus.  In  color  it  is 
neither  light  as  sand,  gray  like  clay,  nor  black 
as  humus,  but  it  is  brown,  dark  when  wet,  and 
light  when  dry. 

Some  boys  and  girls  have  no  good  soil  in  the 
place  where  they  must  have  their  garden,  and 
they  sometimes  go  to  the  woods  or  fields  and 
bring  in  soil.  If  the  place  is  wholly  stone  or 
gravel,  it  may  be  necessary  to  dig  out  or  bank 
up  a  place  to  fill  in  with  the  new  soil.  Some 
boys  and  girls  have  only  window  or  piazza  boxes, 
or  even  boxes  or  tubs  on  the  ground  or  roof.  If 
you  live  in  the  country  you  will  probably  find 
plenty  of  good  land,  so  that  you  need  not  carry 
any  soil.  If  there  should  be  none  around  your 
house,  there  are  plenty  of  people  willing  to  lend 
the  use  of  land,  if  the  privilege  is  not  abused. 
If  your  place  is  sodded  over,  the  sods  should 
be  taken  out  and  put  in  some  place  where  grass 

48 


WHEN  AND   HOW  TO   BEGIN 

sod  is  needed,  or  piled  up  to  rot  and  be  used 
for  a  fertilizer  later  on.  Save  all  the  soil  you 
can  by  shaking  the  sod,  for  this  soil  around 
the  grass  roots  is  fine  for  your  garden. 

When  your  ground  has  been  selected,  you 
should  begin  to  measure  and  make  your  plans. 
See  how  much  land  you  have,  from  which  direc- 
tion the  sun  shines  at  noon  upon  your  gar- 
den, whether  or  not  any  shade  falls  upon  it, 
and  what  is  the  general  shape  and  situation 
of  the  spot  you  have  chosen.  Draw  your 
plans,  then  with  measure,  line,  and  stake,  lay 
them  out  on  the  ground.  With  a  hoe  make  a 
slight  trench  in  the  ground  under  the  lines  you 
haye  drawn ;  or,  by  putting  in  a  spading-fork 
and  moving  it  a  little  back  and  forth,  break 
the  ground  just  at  the  edge  all  around  your 
garden  bed,  so  that  when  you  spade,  the  ground 
will  not  break  beyond  the  line.  Clear  the 
ground  of  all  stone,  rubbish,  and  weeds.  The 

49 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

paths  may  be  simply  cleaned  and  made  hard,  or 

*4t 

they  may  be  filled  in  with  gravel.  Grass  paths 
are  very  pretty,  if  well  sodded,  mowed,  and 
kept  trimmed. 

If  you  haye  any  manure,  spread  it  on  your 
ground  now  thickly  enough  to  make  a  two- 
inch  covering,  and  spade  it  in  thoroughly.  If 
you  are  going  to  use  commercial  fertilizer,  wait 
until  you  are  ready  to  plant,  then  scatter  a  thin 
coating  over  the  surface  of  the  bed  or  drill,  and 
mix  thoroughly  with  the  soil.  Whatever  fertil- 
izer you  use  should  always  be  mixed  thoroughly 
with  the  soil  and  forked  in  deep. 

There  are  wrong  and  right  ways  of  using  tools. 
Learn  to  handle  them  lightly  and  effectively, 
and  your  gardening  will  be  much  more  easily 
done.  Learn  the  use  of  each  kind  of  tool,  and 
see  how  much  you  can  do  with  it.  We  shall 
talk  more  about  the  use  of  the  different  kinds 
of  tools  as  we  go  on. 

50 


WHEN  AND  HOW  TO  BEGIN 

A  LESSON  IN  SPADING 

The  best  tool  for  breaking  the  ground  is  a 
spading-fork.  When  you  are  ready  to  spade, 
stand  inside  your  plot  facing  one  edge  and 
haying  another  edge  close  at  your  left  side,  so 
that  your  spading  will  always  be  from  left  to 
right  as  in  writing.  Put  in  your  fork  not  more 
than  ten  or  twelve  inches  from  the  edge,  ac- 
cording to  your  strength  and  the  size  of  your 
tool.  Press  it  into  the  ground  with  your  foot 
as  straight  and  as  far  as  you  can.  When  you 
try  to  lift  the  soil,  if  it  comes  hard  move  your 
fork  back  and  forth,  break  the  ground  a  lit- 
tle, give  another  push,  break  again.  You  must 
finally  lift  up  the  forkful  of  soil,  turn  it  over, 
and  break  up  the  lumps  with  the  tines  of  your 
fork.  Don't  pack  your  soil.  Keep  it  light  and 
break  it  up  as  much  as  you  can.  When  you 
throw  the  soil  back  in  its  place,  leave  a  slight 

51 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

trench  just  where  you  put  your  fork  in,  so  that 

•S* 

you  can  see  when  you  take  the  next  row  just 
how  far  back  you  spaded.  Don't  leave  an  inch 
of  ground  unspaded. 

A  LESSON  IN  RAKING 

Raking  is  the  next  process.  Rake  hard  and 
deep,  back  and  forth,  to  break  up  the  lumps 
and  shape  your  garden.  When  finished,  a  gar- 
den bed  should  be  level  on  top,  and  not  more 
than  a  few  inches  higher  than  the  ground  around 
it.  A  bed  that  is  sloping  and  trenched  around 
sheds  the  water  like  a  roof,  and  is  hard  to  care 
for  and  keep  even.  The  only  good  reasons  for 
ever  making  a  bed  up  high  are  to  get  a  greater 
depth  of  fine  soil  and  good  drainage  in  low 
land.  Now  that  your  garden  bed  is  made,  and 
your  paths  put  in  order,  you  are  ready  to  do 
your  first  planting. 


V 

AUTUMN  WORK  IN  THE  GARDEN 


The  aster  by  the  brook  is  dead, 

And  quenched  the  golden-rod's  brief  fire, 

The  maple's  last  red  leaf  is  shed, 
And  dumb  the  birds'  sweet  choir. 

The  cricket  is  hoarse  in  the  faded  grass ; 

The  low  brush  rustles  so  thin  and  sere ; 
Swift  overhead  the  small  birds  pass, 

With  cries  that  are  lonely  and  sweet  and  clear. 
The  last  chill  asters  their  petals  fold 

And  gone  is  the  morning-glory's  bell, 
But  close  in  a  loving  hand  I  hold 

Long  sprays  of  the  scarlet  pimpernel, 
And  thick  at  my  feet  are  blossom  and  leaf, 

Blossoms  rich  red  as  the  robes  of  kings  ; 
Hardly  they  're  touched  by  the  autumn's  grief ; 

Do  they  surmise  what  the  winter  brings  ? 

CELIA  THAXTEB. 


CHAPTER  V 

AUTUMN  WORK  IN  THE  GARDEN 

THE  autumn  is  the  best  time  of  year  to  set 
out  most  trees,  shrubs,  and  small  perennial  or 
biennial  plants,  and  to  separate  plants  that  are 
too  thickly  grown.  It  is  the  time  to  plant 
many  bulbs,  such  as  tulip  or  crocus,  and  it  is 
also  a  good  time  to  sow  many  kinds  of  seed, 
such  as  poppy-seed,  grass-seed,  or  spinach. 

In  setting  out  plants  remember  that  the  root 
is  the  important  part,  for  it  holds  the  plant  in 
place,  and  it  takes  in  the  food  and  water  for 
the  plant,  besides  often  acting  as  a  storehouse 
for  food.  Cut  the  top  from  a  plant  and  it  may 
spring  into  life  again,  but  cut  off  the  root  and 
it  will  surely  die.  Then  give  careful  attention 
to  the  root.  Dig  a  hole  deep  enough  and  broad 
enough  for  its  rootlets  to  spread  without  being 

55 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

cramped.  Put  some  manure  into  the  hole,  and 
mix  it  thoroughly  with  tie  soil.  Hold  up  the 
plant  in  the  hole  to  try  it  and  see  if  the  place 
is  large  enough,  just  as  you  would  try  a  new 
suit  to  see  if  it  fits.  Work  at  it  until  it  is  just 
right,  then  set  in  the  plant,  carefully  arranging 
its  roots.  Supporting  it  with  one  hand,  care- 
fully pack  the  earth  closely  about  it.  Give  it  a 
generous  amount  of  water.  If  the  soil  should 
be  very  dry  it  is  a  good  plan  to  fill  the  hole 
with  water  and  let  it  soak  into  the  ground  be- 
fore setting  the  plant.  Never  heap  the  soil 
about  a  plant ;  rather  leave  a  circle  of  lower 
level  than  the  ground  about  it  to  hold  the  wa- 
ter, except  when  winter  is  coming  on ;  then 
the  ground  should  be  level  about  it  so  that  the 
water  will  drain  off  and  not  form  ice.  When 
setting  out  small  perennial  or  biennial  plants, 
place  them  at  one  side  of  the  garden  where 
they  may  remain  undisturbed  for  some  time. 

56 


AUTUMN  WORK 

They  may  be  set  some  distance  apart  and  an- 
nuals may  be  grown  between  them.  Foxgloves 
and  larkspurs  are  two  of  the  best  perennials  to 
have.  The  foxglove  is  very  thrifty  and  a  great 
attraction  to  bees.  The  larkspur  is  so  superior 
to  many  flowers,  one  can  hardly  look  on  its 
heavenly  blue  and  not  be  good. 

Bulbs !  There  are  bulbs  and  bulbs ;  hardy 
and  tender ;  fall  bulbs  and  spring  bulbs ;  and 
there  are  tubers  and  corms,  which  you  probably 
call  bulbs.  They  are  all  underground  stems. 
The  tuber  bears  buds  or  "  eyes  "  on  its  sides, 
like  the  potato ;  the  corm  is  short,  thick,  and 
fleshy,  and  sends  off  roots  from  its  lower  face, 
like  the  crocus  ;  the  bulb  consists  of  thickened 
scales  or  modified  leaves,  as  in  the  onion.  The 
important  thing  for  you  to  learn  about  under- 
ground stems  of  this  kind  is  whether  to  plant 
them  in  fall  or  spring,  for  the  tender  ones  de- 
cay if  left  in  the  ground  through  the  winter. 

57 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

You  can  learn  much  by  looking  over  a  good 

*» 

bulb  catalogue.  Dahlia/  canna,  and  gladiolus 
are  spring  bulbs ;  tulip,  crocus,  and  jonquil  are 
fall  bulbs. 

Arrange  the  bulbs  on  the  surface  of  the 
ground  just  as  you  wish  to  plant  them,  or 
scatter  them  and  plant  them  where  they  fall. 
Then  take  a  stick  or  trowel,  if  you  have  not  a 
dibble,  which  is  the  proper  tool  for  this  work, 
and  plant  each  one  where  you  haye  arranged 
for  it  to  go.  Be  sure  to  put  the  root  end 
down  and  the  top  up.  Rules  for  depth  and 
distance  of  planting  can  usually  be  found  in 
the  catalogue  of  bulbs.  Plant  tulips  about  five 
inches  deep  and  five  inches  apart ;  larger  bulbs 
deeper  and  usually  farther  apart.  Bulbs  should 
never  be  planted  in  a  low  place  where  wa- 
ter will  settle ;  they  need  a  well-drained  bed. 
Often  when  planting  in  the  grass  it  is  a  good 
plan  to  put  a  little  sand  in  each  hole  first  and 

58 


AUTUMN  WORK 

a  little  fresh  loam.  Though  bulbs  do  better 
for  being  enriched  with  manure,  they  should 
never  be  allowed  to  come  into  contact  with  it, 
as  it  causes  them  to  decay.  Bulbous  plants 
usually  blossom  only  a  short  time  and  make 
little  display  of  foliage,  therefore  it  is  best  to 


Depths  and  distances  for  planting  bulbs. 

By  permission  of  J.  Horace  McFarland  Co. 

plant  them  in  the  grass  or  among  other  plants 
in  the  garden.  Bulbs  planted  in  the  fall  may 
be  left  in  the  ground  the  year  round ;  but  if 
they  are  removed  to  give  place  to  something 
else,  and  are  to  be  planted  again,  they  should 

59 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

not  be  taken  up  until  the  foliage  has  ripened. 
The  bulb  you  take  up  is  not  always  the  same 
bulb  you  planted,  but  a  new  one  grown  beside 
the  old,  which  has  given  its  life  and  is  decayed. 
Some  bulbs  need  more  than  one  season's 
growth  to  make  them  large  blooming  bulbs. 

Some  seeds  may  be  planted  late  in  the  fall, 
such  as  poppy-seeds  in  the  flower  garden,  or 
spinach-seeds  in  the  vegetable  garden.  Scat- 
ter them  and  rake  them  in,  or  plant  in  drills, 
which  are  like  tiny  furrows,  and  press,  the  earth 
firmly  over  them. 

When  your  fall  plants,  bulbs,  and  seeds  are 
planted  and  the  cold  weather  has  come  in  good 
earnest,  cover  the  beds  with  leaves  and  pine 
boughs,  or  something  to  keep  them  from  blow- 
ing away.  Oak  or  maple  leaves  are  best.  Never 
burn  leaves.  Pile  them  where  they  can  decay 
or  mix  them  with  manure.  In  another  year  or 
so  they  will  be  good  to  enrich  your  soil. 

60 


AUTUMN  WORK 

It  is  a  good  plan  in  the  autumn  to  carry  a 
small  box  of  earth  into  the  cellar  to  use  for  win- 
ter or  spring  house-gardening.  Autumn  is  the 
time  to  make  a  cold-frame  or  hotbed.  Heavy 
planks  sunk  in  the  ground  and  slanting  toward 
the  south  make  the  framework.  Glass  or  cheese- 
cloth will  complete  the  top.  A  cold-frame  is 
filled  with  rich  soil,  but  a  hotbed  has  in  addi- 
tion a  foundation  of  fresh  horse-manure  to  pro- 
vide heat.  Have  your  frame  ready  in  the  fall. 
In  the  spring  add  the  glass  or  cheese-cloth,  and 
plant  as  soon  as  the  condition  of  the  soil  permits. 


A  cold-frame. 


VI 


THE  GAEDEN  IN  WINTER,  AND  INDOOR 
GARDENING 


The  speckled  sky  is  dim  with  snow, 
The  light  flakes  falter  and  fall  slow ; 
Athwart  the  hill-top,  rapt  and  pale, 
Silently  drops  a  silvery  veil ; 
And  all  the  valley  is  shut  in 
By  flickering  curtains  gray  and  thin. 

But  cheerily  the  chickadee 
Singeth  to  me  on  fence  and  tree ; 
The  snow  sails  round  him  as  he  sings, 
White  as  the  down  of  angels'  wings. 

I  watch  the  slow  flakes  as  they  fall 
On  bank  and  brier  and  broken  wall ; 
Over  the  orchard,  waste  and  brown, 
All  noiselessly  they  settle  down, 
Tipping  the  apple-boughs,  and  each 
Light  quivering  twig  of  plum  and  peach. 

On  turf  and  curb  and  bower-roof 
The  snow-storm  spreads  its  ivory  woof ; 
It  paves  with  pearl  the  garden-walk 
And  lovingly  round  tattered  stalk 
And  shivering  stem  its  magic  weaves 
A  mantle  fair  as  lily-leaves. 

JOHN  TOWNSEND  TROWBRIDGE. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE   GARDEN   IN   WINTER,   AND    INDOOR 
GARDENING 

SOME  people  think  of  a  garden  as  affording 
only  a  few  months'  pleasure  in  flower  and  fruit, 
but  we  should  learn  to  see  that  a  garden's  full 
value  is  not  found  until  everything  that  enters 
into  the  life  of  it  has  become  a  part  of  our 
experience.  The  great  world-garden  presents 
studies  all  the  year  round,  and  we  shall  find 
this  equally  true  of  our  own  little  garden. 
When  our  daily  observation  is  centred  on  a 
spot  to  which  we  give  our  love  and  labor, 
we  often  find  more  knowledge  and  experience 
within  its  small  boundaries  than  we  should  gain 
in  many  wanderings. 

It  may  be  that  during  the  first  winter  your 
garden  will  contain  only  sleeping  life ;  but  the 

65 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

life  is  surely  there.  Many  a  brown  toad  is 
sleeping  where  he  burrowed  into  the  ground 
when  the  wintry  weather  approached.  The 
plants  themselves  are  settling  into  their  beds 
and  resting  and  waiting  for  spring  sunshine. 
The  insects  and  the  weed-seeds  are  there  and 
will  show  themselves  in  the  warm  weather, 
but  I  hope  you  have  partly  rid  yourself  of 
these  troublesome  things  by  spading  your  gar- 
den thoroughly  and  thus  exposing  them  to  the 
freezing  weather. 

A  winter  garden  such  as  we  may  enjoy  some 
day  would  contain  choice  evergreens,  shrubs 
with  bright  berries,  and  trees  beautiful  in  line 
and  covering ;  but  even  now  we  may  some- 
where plant  or  find  at  least  one  tree  to  call 
our  own,  and  if  it  has  many  seeds  like  the 
birch  it  will  attract  the  birds ;  then  you  will 
have  life  indeed  in  your  winter  garden.  You 
may  further  entice  the  birds  by  offering  them 

66 


THE   GARDEN   IN  WINTER 

special  food  and  protection.  Tie  a  piece  of 
suet  on  the  tree  for  food.  Place  a  piece  of  tin 
or  wire-netting,  in  the  shape  of  an  inverted 
tin  pan,  about  the  trunk  of  the  tree  several 
feet  from  the  ground,  in  order  to  keep  the 
cats  from  climbing  after  the  birds.  One  of  the 
best  of  our  birds  is  the  chickadee,  who  some- 
times whistles  the  phoebe  note.  He  wears  a 
black  cap  and  broad,  dark  cravat  and  a  blue- 
gray  coat. 

The  real  garden  is  always  out  of  doors, — 
and  the  great  world-garden  in  winter  is  more 
beautiful  and  more  abounding  in  life  than  any 
indoor  garden  can  be.  Nevertheless,  windows 
full  of  bright  leaves  and  blossoms  are  enter- 
taining and  make  home  cheery.  One  plant 
well-grown  is  better  than  a  lot  of  scraggy  ones ; 
and  when  you  have  found  how  much  interest 
may  gather  around  a  single  plant  you  will  care 
less  about  having  a  large  number.  You  will 

67 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

be  surprised  to  see  how  much  you  can  do  for 

4* 

one  plant  and  how  well  it  will  repay  your  care. 
It  is  best  to  keep  your  plants  in  unpainted 
flower-pots,  but  tin  cans  or  wooden  tubs  will 
sometimes  do  if  holes  are  made  in  the  bot- 
tom for  drainage.  When  potting  a  plant  see 
that  the  flower-pot  is  thoroughly  clean.  Let 
it  soak  in  water  for  several  hours  at  least  be- 
fore using,  so  that  when  the  plant  is  first  set 
into  it  the  moisture  in  the  soil  will  not  be 
taken  up  by  the  flower-pot.  Always  place  a 
few  pieces  of  broken  flower-pot  or  other  coarse 
material  in  the  bottom  for  drainage,  taking 
care  not  to  cover  the  hole  in  the  centre.  Fill 
the  pot  with  finely  sifted  soil  well  shaken 
down.  For  potting  soil  use  one  third  good  gar- 
den loam,  a  little  sharp  sand,  and  either  leaf 
mould  from  the  woods  or  old  rotted  stable- 
manure.  Fresh  horse-manure  is  always  too 
heating.  Hen-manure  is  strong,  and  should  be 

68 


INDOOR   GARDENING 

used  in  small  quantities  only.  The  scrapings 
from  grass  sods  are  good.  Well-rotted  cow- 
manure,  or  well-mixed  and  rotted  manure  from 
a  farm,  is  good.  Bone-meal  may  be  bought  for 
a  few  cents  a  pound,  and  is  all  right,  but  be 
sure  to  get  that  which  is  finely  ground. 

Mix  the  parts  together  thoroughly.  When 
the  pot  is  filled,  take  out  enough  soil  to  make 
room  for  the  roots  of  the  plant.  Set  in  the 
plant,  carefully  arranging  the  roots.  Support 
it  with  one  hand  and  put  the  soil  in  about  it, 
pressing  firmly.  Water  thoroughly,  and  keep 
from  a  hot  sun  until  well  rooted. 

When  a  plant  is  well  started  in  a  pot,  never 
water  it  until  the  soil  looks  dry,  then  give  it 
an  abundance.  Stir  the  top  soil  about  a  plant 
occasionally,  in  order  to  let  in  the  air  and  also 
to  help  the  rootlets  to  find  the  food  in  the 
soil.  When  a  plant  is  preparing  to  bloom,  give 
it  a  little  extra  water  and  plant  food,  —  a  tea- 

69 


LITTLE   GARDENS 
spoonful  of  fine  bone-meal  or  bone-dust,  or  a 

f* 

little  liquid  manure.  To  make  the  latter,  turn 
hot  water  oyer  manure.  After  it  has  set  a 
while,  use  the  water  which  can  be  drained 
from  it.  It  is  possible  to  overfeed  plants  and 
thus  make  them  weak. 

The  dust  in  a  house  is  a  great  hindrance  to 
plants.  Protect  them  from  it  as  much  as  pos- 
sible. Like  us,  plants  desire  cleanliness,  fresh 
air  and  good  food.  Smooth-leaved  plants  are 
much  benefited  by  shower  baths.  If  insects 
attack  plants,  use  Ivory  soap  suds,  much  weak- 
ened, as  a  wash. 

The  air  in  our  houses  is  usually  too  dry  and 
dusty,  and  often  too  warm  for  plants,  and  they 
require  more  attention  than  when  out  of  doors. 
They  also  need  especial  protection  on  very  cold 
nights.  If  a  double  window  is  not  used,  the 
plants  should  be  drawn  away  from  the  window, 
or  protected  in  freezing  weather.  Fresh  air 

70 


INDOOR   GARDENING 

should  be  let  into  the  room  daily,  but  in  such 
a  way  that  it  will  not  blow  directly  on  the 
plants.  The  window  might  be  lowered  at  the 
top  and  the  air  allowed  to  pass  in  above  them. 
The  dryness  of  a  heated  room  may  be  partially 
overcome  by  keeping  a  dish  of  water  on  the 
stove,  radiator,  or  register. 

Turn  the  plants  in  a  window  once  or  twice 
a  week  so  that  they  will  get  the  light  on  all 
sides  and  have  an  even  growth.  Cut  back  your 
plants  in  such  a  way  that  they  will  make  a 
bushy,  compact  growth  and  have  more  surface 
for  blooms. 

The  best  place  for  house-plants  in  summer 
is  on  a  sheltered  piazza,  or  in  a  protected  nook 
where  the  pots  can  rest  on  a  board  or  stone  or 
ashes,  or  on  the  saucer  of  the  flower-pot.  If 
placed  directly  on  the  ground,  the  roots  creep 
through  the  drainage-hole  and  have  to  be  torn 
away  in  the  fall,  and  this  injures  the  plant.  If 

71 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

put  into  the  ground,  the  roots  spread  so  that 
it  is  hard  to  get  them  into  shape  again. 

Re-potting  will  be  necessary  when  the  growth 
of  the  plant  demands  it,  but  a  plant  blooms  bet- 
ter if  a  little  crowded  for  root-room.  Always 
make  changes  gradually  in  spring  and  fall.  A 
scorching  hot  sun  and  a  strong  wind  should  be 
avoided.  Most  house-plants  are  increased  by 
slips,  and  another  chapter  will  explain  how  this 
work  is  done. 

If  a  few  winter-blooming  bulbs,  such  as  jon- 
quils, are  desired,  put  the  bulbs  into  the  pot 
in  the  fall  and  set  them  in  a  cool,  dark  place 
for  several  weeks.  Bring  gradually  to  the  light 
and  water  them.  They  should  also  be  watered 
when  set  away,  but  not  again  until  very  dry. 
Bulbs  need  rich  soil,  but  should  never  come  in 
contact  with  manure.  Use  a  little  sand  about 
them  for  protection. 


VII 

GARDEN  FRIENDS,  AND  A  DREAM 
GARDEN 


One  seed  for  another  to  make  an  exchange 
With  f ellowly  neighborhood  seemeth  not  strange. 

TUSSEB. 


CHAPTER  VII 

GARDEN  FRIENDS,  AND  A  DREAM  GARDEN 

THERE  is  nothing  in  the  world  that  makes 
strangers  become  friends  more  quickly  than 
the  discovery  that  each  loves  a  garden.  The  ex- 
change of  ideas,  plants,  and  plans  is  the  delight 
of  garden  neighbors.  We  find  many  a  garden 
friend,  not  only  in  a  neighborly  way,  but  also  in 
the  world  of  books,  and  the  winter  is  the  time 
to  seek  them  out.  Gardens  have  been  loved 
and  written  about  so  long  that  there  is  no  end 
to  the  delightful  things  we  may  find  in  old  au- 
thors as  well  as  new.  Some  of  the  books  you 
may  not  care  to  read  until  you  are  older,  but 
I  fancy  a  peep  into  them  even  now  would 
heighten  your  interest  in  your  own  little  gar- 
den spot.  The  names  of  Parkinson,  Gerard, 
Evelyn,  and  others,  you  will  see  again  and 

75 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

again.  When  some  of  the  old  writers  wrote 
about  gardens,  they  made  large  volumes  de- 
scribing the  peculiar  medicinal  qualities  of 
plants  in  a  way  that  is  strange  to  our  day,  but 
not  wholly  without  value,  and  certainly  enter- 
taining. These  old  garden-books  were  some- 
times called  "  Herbals." 

Very  little  has  been  written  for  boys  and 
girls  about  gardening,  because  it  is  only  within 
a  hundred  years  or  so  that  there  has  been  a 
deep  interest  in  children's  gardens.  Some  time 
ago  there  was  a  lady  in  England  who  loved 
children  and  gardens,  and  wrote  interestingly 
about  them.  Her  name  was  Mrs.  Ewing,  and 
she  wrote  "Mary's  Meadow,"  and  "Letters 
from  a  Little  Garden,"  and  "  Our  Field."  More 
books  are  being  written  for  boys  and  girls 
nowadays,  and  some  have  been  written  about 
gardens,  but  only  a  few  that  you  could  en- 
joy- 

76 


GARDEN  FRIENDS 

Some  of  the  newer  books  on  gardening  writ- 
ten for  older  people  would  interest  you  after 
a  few  years'  experience.  There  are  magazines 
and  magazine  articles  that  ought  to  help  you 
now,  and  perhaps  our  best  friend  of  all  is  Uncle 
Sam.  The  United  States  and  the  State  Boards 
of  Agriculture  are  searching  for  knowledge  all 
the  time,  and  the  results  of  their  searches  are 
published  in  pamphlets  for  free  distribution. 
If  you  write  to  the  Boards  of  Agriculture 
telling  on  what  subjects  you  are  in  need  of 
information,  whether  insects,  weeds,  or  any 
garden-subject,  pamphlets  will  be  sent  to  you. 
So  you  see  we  have  plenty  of  garden  friends 
to  help  us,  and  they  are  increasing  all  the 
time. 

In  this  as  in  any  subject  of  study  it  is  a 
good  habit  to  take  one  topic  at  a  time,  —  for 
instance,  the  soil,  plant  food,  or  a  single  kind 
of  plant,  as  the  aster  or  the  corn,  —  and  see 

77 


LITTLE  GARDENS 
how  much  you  can  find  out  about  that  one 

jV 

subject  both  by  your  own  observation  and 
by  a  pursuit  of  that  subject  on  the  library 
shelves. 

Make  a  garden  note-book.  In  one  half  write 
the  name  of  every  garden-book  you  read  or 
look  into,  its  author's  name,  any  helpful  notes 
you  glean  from  it,  and  your  opinion  of  it.  In 
the  other  half  keep  a  record  of  your  own  gar- 
den, plan,  dates  of  planting  and  gathering  of 
crops,  kinds  and  varieties  planted,  etc. 

As  you  read  the  different  ideas  of  people  who 
love  gardens,  you  cannot  resist  dreaming  a  lit- 
tle in  the  wintry  days  when  your  garden  is  rest- 
ing and  waiting  for  spring  sunshine,  —  dream- 
ing of  an  ideal  garden  which  would  be  all  that 
you  desire.  A  little  garden  with  a  dainty  hedge 
about  it  and  a  swinging  gate,  a  winding  walk, 
and  blossoms,  blossoms  everywhere, — the  heav- 
enly blue  larkspurs  and  pure  white  madonna 

78 


A  DREAM   GARDEN 

lilies,  canterbury  bells  and  spikes  of  foxglove 
attracting  the  bees,  roses  and  lilies,  pink  and 
purple  columbine,  —  all  these  and  many  more ! 
In  the  shadiest  corner  a  little  garden -seat, 
where  we  may  sit  and  enjoy  the  work  of  our 
own  hands,  and  watch  and  listen  for  the  little 
visitors  that  come  to  our  garden,  —  the  lit- 
tle brown  toad,  the  happy  bird,  and  all  the 
flying  and  creeping  things  that  we  do  not  al- 
ways see  unless  we  sit  thus  and  watch  for  them ! 
Take  with  you  to  your  garden-seat  paper  and 
pencil  or  paint  and  brush,  and  this  will  become 
a  delight.  Not  that  we  are  artists,  but  in  trying 
to  draw  things  we  see  more  plainly,  for  we  are 
seeking  a  clearer  mind-picture  of  the  things 
around  us.  And  last  of  all,  let  us  forever  dream 
and  work  for  better  gardens,  beautiful  and  use- 
ful, not  for  ourselves  only,  but  for  all  who  may 
enjoy  them ! 

Do  not  awaken  from  this  dream  to  say  it 

79 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

never  can  be  true ;  for  as  true  as  you  and  I  are 
friends,  where  there  's  a  will  there 's  a  way,  and 
a  dream  is  the  very  beginning  of  things  that  are 
going  to  be  real  some  day. 


VIII 

GARDEN  HANDICRAFT 


Let  all  your  things  have  their  place ;  let  each  part  of  your  busi- 
ness have  its  time. 

FRANKLIN. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

GARDEN   HANDICRAFT 

IN  the  wintry  days  there  is  still  something  to 
do  for  your  garden.  It  is  the  best  time  to  make 
a  hundred  and  one  little  things  that  will  be 
useful  later  on.  If  you  have  practiced  at  sloyd, 
or  can  use  carpenter's  tools,  and  like  to  paint, 
with  very  little  expense  you  may  make  many 
things.  Sometimes,  if  you  have  a  very  definite 
plan  of  what  you  are  going  to  make  when  you 
go  to  buy  the  wood,  a  carpenter  can  saw  the 
pieces  into  just  the  right  shape  and  lengths,  and 
they  will  be  all  ready  for  you  to  put  together. 
Use  a  dark  green  or  soft  gray-green  paint. 
Bright  colors  spoil  the  harmony  of  the  garden 
color-scheme.  Very  pretty  gates,  fences  and 
seats  can  be  made  from  rough,  unbarked  wood. 
This  is  called  rustic  work.  Many  small  things 

83 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

can  be  made  from  material  you  already  have. 
It  is  well  to  know  how  to  make  a  finished  article 
from  good  material,  but  it  is  also  essential  to  be 
able  to  make  the  most  of  what  you  have  at  hand. 
Butter  boxes  and  tubs,  and  other  small  wooden 
articles  out  of  use,  suggest  many  possibilities. 

LIST  WITH  SUGGESTIONS  FOR  MAKING 

1.  Garden  Stakes  and  Line.  Make  stakes 
about  1  foot  long  and  1  inch  wide;  make 
notches  on  both  sides  1|  inches  from  top. 
Point  lower  end.  Get  ball  of  strong,  brown 
cord  that  will  not  kink,  to  use  with  stakes. 
Round  holes  are  made  in  each  article  when 
possible  that  they  may  be  held  to- 
gether, or  hung  on  a  nail  when  not  in  use. 
2.  Markers.  These  are  wooden  labels  on 
which  are  to  be  written  names  and  notes  of 
plants  which  are  important.  Make  3  sizes. 
Small,  3|xl  inch  to  attach  to  plants.  Me-  V 

dium,  9x1  inch,  to   keep   in   ground  during  summer. 

84 


GARDEN   HANDICRAFT 

Large,  15x2  inches,  to   stand  through  winter.    Paint 
these  labels  white,  so  that  marking  will  show. 

3.  Stakes  for  Plant   Supports.  Make  length  and 
strength  according  to  plants  to  be  supported.    Paint 
green. 

4.  Cold-frame  Covering.     The  cold-frame  may  re- 
quire extra  covering  on  cold  nights.   Make  tiny  flat 
bundles  of  straw,  and  tie  them  together  with  raffia  side 
by  side  so  that  they  will  form  a  mat. 

5.  Knee-mat.    A  knee-mat  on  which  the  gardener 
may  rest  his  knees  when  working  close  to  the  flowers  not 
only  saves  his  clothes,  but  enables  him  to  take  an  easier 
position.    Though  many  things  might  be  used  for  this, 
perhaps  the  easiest  to  make  is  such  as  might  be  made 
from  straw  sewed  or  tied  with  raffia,  as  is  often  done  with 
cold-frame  coverings.  I  have  seen  boys  make  good  knee- 
mats  from  the  coverings  of  tea-chests  sewed  with  raffia. 

6.  Garden  Baskets.  If  you  have  learned  the  simplest 
steps  of  basketry,  why  not  fashion  garden  baskets  ?  Make 
the  gathering  basket  rather  shallow,  and  put  a  high 
handle  on  it.  Make  a  basket  for  carrying  small  tools. 

7.  Trellises.  These  may  be  made  of  wood,  or  wire,  or 

85 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

both.  Make  them  along  simple  lines  and  according  to 
the  plant  and  situation. 

8.  Window  and  Piazza  Boxes.   Make  about  1  foot 
deep  and  1  foot  wide,  and  as  long  as  the  place  permits. 
Make  holes  in  bottom  for  drainage.    Paint.    Tubs  with 
drainage  holes  and  painted  green  will  serve  for  some 
needs. 

9.  Arrangement  for  Care  of  Tools.  Arrange  a  place 
for  every  tool,  and  keep  every  tool  in  place  when  not  in 
use. 

10.  Fences.    Garden  Seats.  Garden  Gates.  These 
are  prettiest  when  made  of  rough,  unbarked  wood,  and 
are  then  called  rustic.  It  is  hardly  wise  to  attempt  them 
the  first  year  of  your  garden,  but  keep  them  in  mind 
and  you  will  get  ideas  about  them. 

11.  Bird  Trays.  Make  box  about  9x10  inches  and 
8  or  10  inches  deep.  Make  drainage  holes.  Fill  with 
earth  except  in  centre,  where  a  dish  or  bulb  pot  with 
cork  in  drainage  hole  is  to  be  kept  filled  with  water. 
Make  strong  wooden  brackets  on  which  it  is  to  rest 
some  distance  from  the  ground,  on  a  tree  or  strong  pole 
erected  for  the  purpose. 

86 


GARDEN   HANDICRAFT 

12.  Bird  Houses.  Make  from  old  wood  or  partly  de- 
cayed limbs  of  trees,  or  paint  green,  and  tack  bits  of 
evergreen  on  the  top.  Make  the  roof  to  slant  downward 
over  the  hole,  and  make  the  hole  near  the  top  of  the  box 
leaving  the  depth  for  the  nest.  Ten  inches  is  not  too 
deep  for  most  nests.  Make  hole  according  to  size  of  bird 
to  be  invited :  for  chickadee,  1^  inches ;  for  bluebird, 
1  inches. 


IX 

THE  PREPARATION  FOR  SPRING 


The  snow  still  lay  in  the  hollows, 

But  the  smile  of  the  sun  was  kinder, 
The  breath  of  the  air  was  sweet ; 


There  shall  be  spring  again ! 

Worth  all  the  waiting  and  watching, 

The  woe  that  the  winter  wrought, 
Was  the  passion  of  gratitude  that  shook 

My  soul  at  the  blissful  thought ! 

Soft  rain  and  flowers  and  sunshine,    • 

Sweet  winds  and  brooding  skies, 
Quick-flitting  birds  to  fill  the  air 

With  clear,  delicious  cries ; 

Nearer  and  ever  nearer 

Drawing  with  every  day ! 
But  a  little  longer  to  wait  and  watch 

'Neath  skies  so  cold  and  gray. 

CELIA  THAXTBB. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE   PREPARATION   FOR   SPRING 

IN  January  you  must  begin  to  think  of 
spring.  You  should  send  to  a  good  seedsman 
for  a  seed-catalogue,  because  if  you  select  your 
seeds  at  home,  where  you  can  take  plenty  of 
time  to  think  of  the  needs  of  your  garden  and 
study  the  descriptions  of  the  flowers  and  vege- 
tables, you  will  make  a  better  choice  of  seeds. 
The  catalogue  will  also  contain  many  helpful 
facts  about  gardening.  If  you  order  your  seed 
from  a  large  seedsman  or  buy  directly  from 
a  large  seed-store,  you  can  often  obtain  pam- 
phlets or  books  containing  just  the  information 
you  need.  Perhaps  you  will  buy  your  seed  in 
penny  packets  at  school.  If  so,  it  is  best  to 
buy  only  a  few  packets  and  save  five  cents  to 
buy  from  a  seedsman  one  packet  of  some  kind 

91 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

of  seed  that  cannot  be  bought  in  penny  pack- 
ets, or  a  flower  of  some  special  color,  for  most 
of  the  penny  packets  are  mixed  colors.  It 
is  well  to  buy  white  sweet  alyssum,  or  some 
other  white  flower,  which  will  aid  you  in  har- 
monizing the  medley  of  colors  that  is  likely  to 
come  in  your  penny  packets.  Beginners  often 
make  the  mistake  of  buying  too  much  seed. 
A  few  seeds  well  planted  and  tended  give  more 
pleasure,  and  produce  a  better  effect.  Five  or 
six  packets  of  seed  would  be  sufficient  for  most 
children's  gardens  the  first  year. 

You  will  find  in  the  catalogue  that  the  plants 
are  classified  by  the  terms  of  which  we  have 
spoken,  —  annual,  biennial,  and  perennial ;  also 
as  hardy,  half-hardy,  and  tender,  according  to 
their  ability  to  endure  frosts  and  cold  weather. 
You  will  find,  also,  that  each  plant  may  have 
several  names.  Plants  often  have  more  than 
one  common  name.  Thus  the  cornflower  is 


PREPARATION  FOR  SPRING 

also  called  blue-bottle  and  bachelor's  button. 
Aside  from  their  common  names  in  all  lan- 
guages, plants  are  given  scientific  names.  These 
scientific  names  are  in  Latin,  and  are  used  all 
over  the  world,  so  that  no  matter  in  what  coun- 
try or  what  language  gardeners  and  botanists 
may  speak,  they  have  one  name  for  a  plant. 
That  name  may  have  different  parts  just  as 
do  ours,  telling  to  what  family  we  belong,  and 
giving  to  us  also  particular  names  of  our  own. 
Every  name  has  a  meaning,  and  the  name  of 
a  plant  is  often  a  key  to  some  of  its  character- 
istics. 

Look  at  the  plan  of  your  flower  garden  which 
you  made  in  the  fall  and  see  what  it  calls  for: 
—  vines  ;  tall,  medium,  or  short  growing  plants ; 
edgings;  shade-loving  or  sun-loving  plants; 
plants  of  upright,  stately  growth,  or  branching 
or  clinging  habits ;  flowers  for  cutting,  or  for 
a  beautiful  effect  out  of  doors.  On  these  points 

93 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

alone  there  is  .opportunity  for  years  of  study 
and  enjoyment,  and  each  season  ought  to  bring 
you  some  new  experience  of  value  and  the  ac- 
quaintance of  at  least  one  more  flower.  A  few 
suggestions  only  can  be  given  here. 

White  sweet  alyssum  is  the  safest  edging 
plant  for  a  beginner.  It  blooms  throughout  the 
season,  and  is  not  easily  killed  by  frost.  As 
its  color  is  white,  it  will  not  spoil  the  color 
harmony  of  any  flower  bed.  It  can  be  easily 
trimmed  into  shape,  or  if  not  trimmed  is 
always  graceful.  It  is  easy  to  grow.  Dwarf 
French  marigolds  make  a  good  formal  edging. 
California  poppies  are  good  in  rocky  soil  or 
clambering  over  rocks,  and  grow  well  if  given 
enough  moisture  at  the  start.  If  asters  are  de- 
sired only  for  cutting,  grow  them  in  rows  like 
vegetables,  at  least  a  foot  apart.  If  wanted 
partly  for  effect  in  the  garden,  set  them  two  feet 
apart,  and  plant  earlier  blooming  plants  like 

94 


SWEET  ALYSSUM 


THE  VEGETABLE   GARDEN 


PREPARATION  FOR   SPRING 

yerbenas  between  them,  so  that  there  will  be 
some  bloom  in  the  bed  through  the  summer- 
time. Plants  that  are  killed  by  the  first  frost, 
like  balsams,  may  be  planted  among  hardier 
ones,  and  in  the  fall  those  which  die  first  may 
be  removed  to  giye  way  to  the  others. 

We  haye  been  talking  just  now  of  those  flow- 
ers raised  from  seed  which  die  the  same  season, 
and  are  called  annuals.  The  raising  of  perennial 
plants  from  seed,  and  the  care  of  plants  raised 
in  other  ways,  will  be  considered  later  on. 

There  are  so  many  varieties  of  flowers  nowa- 
days that  experience  alone  can  tell  you  how  to 
make  a  good  combination  in  a  flower  bed,  but 
these  ideas  may  help  you :  — 


First  grouping. 


African  Marigolds,  edged  with 
Dwarf  French  Marigolds;  com- 
bined with 

Cornflowers,  edged  with  Mignon- 
ette. 
95 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

Second  grouping    .  J  Petunias    (mixed),    edged    with 
(for  a  single  bed).  \     Sweet  Alyssum. 

Running  Nasturtium,  back- 


Third  grouping 
(for  a  border). 


ground. 
Coreopsis,  mass. 


Dwarf  Nasturtium,  edging. 
As  for  vegetables,  some  are  excellent  food, 
while  others  have  little  food  value.  Peas  and 
shell  beans  have  a  high  food  value.  If  you  wish 
to  have  wax  beans  get  a  variety  that  is  string- 
less,  fleshy,  and  not  prone  to  rust.  Plan  to  have 
a  rotation  of  crops,  that  is,  when  an  early  crop 
has  ripened  put  a  later  one  in  its  place.  It  is 
better  to  follow  a  crop  with  one  of  a  wholly 
different  kind,  which  will  take  from  the  ground 
a  different  kind  of  food ;  for  instance,  a  vege- 
table grown  for  leaf  development,  as  lettuce, 
should  be  followed  by  pod-bearing  or  root  crops. 
Turnips  are  not  very  valuable,  but  they  are  an 
easy  late  crop  as  they  develop  quickly.  If  you 
have  a  small  amount  of  room  always  plant  rad- 

96 


PREPARATION  FOR   SPRING 

ishes  at  the  same  time  with  lettuce,  and  haying 
the  lettuce  drills  at  least  one  foot  apart  plant 
the  radishes  halfway  between  them.  The  rad- 
ishes grow  quickly,  and  when  pulled  leave  room 
for  the  cultivation  of  the  lettuce.  Some  vege- 
tables, such  as  tomatoes  and  celery,  require  such 
a  long  season  that  they  are  usually  started  in 
cold-frames  or  hotbeds.  Certain  vegetables  re- 
quire special  culture  and  the  right  kind  of  soil, 
so  that  it  is  not  wise  to  try  to  grow  them  with- 
out a  knowledge  of  their  needs. 

PLANTS  FOR  BOYS  AND  GIELS  TO  EAISE 
FROM  SEED 

FLOWERS 

PERENNIALS  AND 
ANNUALS  BIENNIALS 

Sweet  Alyssum. 
Candytuft. 

•        j  Dwarf  Nasturtium.  China  Pink. 

^    ^     '  Dwarf  French  Marigold. 
Mignonette. 
California  Poppy. 
97 


LITTLE   GARDENS 


Medium 
Height 


Taller 


Vines 


SHORT 

Beans. 
Beets. 

Carrots. 

Parsley. 

Lettuce. 

Radishes. 

Onions. 

Potatoes. 

Spinach. 


ANNUALS 

Petunia. 

Phlox  Drummondi. 

Calendula. 

Verbena. 

African  Marigold. 

Zinnia. 

Aster. 

Cornflower.  "] 

n  .       \  Slender. 

Coreopsis.    J 

Nasturtium. 
Morning  Glory. 
Scarlet  Runner  Bean. 
Wild  Cucumber. 

VEGETABLES 

TALL 

Corn. 
Pole  Beans. 


PERENNIALS   AND 
BIENNIALS 

Sweet  William. 


f  Foxglove. 
\  Larkspur. 
I  Hollyhock. 


VINES 


Pumpkins. 

Squash. 

Cucumbers. 


98 


PREPARATION  FOR  SPRING 

SHORT 

Turnips. 

Tomatoes.  1 

_  f  Kequire  support. 

Peas.  J 

Starting  seedlings  under  the  protection  of 
cheese-cloth  or  glass  is  a  good  plan  if  well  done. 
If  not  done  well,  it  had  better  not  be  attempted, 
for  a  strong  plant  from  a  seed  planted  late  in 
the  ground  gets  ahead  of  a  weak  seedling  started 
early,  half-cared  for,  and  not  transplanted  pro- 
perly. The  fact  is  that  special  care  must  be 
given  to  house-plants  and  seedlings,  for  Mother 
Nature  does  much  for  the  outdoor  plant  for 
which  we  do  not  always  give  her  full  credit.  If 
you  wish  to  try  early  seedlings,  however,  salvia 
and  asters  are  all  right  for  flowers  and  tomato 
plants  for  vegetables.  If  you  intend  to  sell  the 
vegetables  or  flowers,  remember  that  as  the 
early  bird  gets  the  worm  so  the  early  mar- 
ketman  gets  the  high  price.  If  you  can  raise 
seedlings  well,  and  so  get  ahead  of  the  season 

99 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

with  your  vegetables  and  flowers,  so  much  the 
better ! 

Seedlings  may  be  raised  in  a  cold-frame  or  a 
hotbed,  which  should  have  been  started  in  the 
fall  as  told  in  the  chapter  on  Autumn  Work  in 
the  Garden.  Radish  and  lettuce  may  be  raised 
and  matured  in  these  without  transplanting. 
The  glass  may  have  to  be  partly  lifted  or  pro- 
tected on  hot  days  late  in  the  spring. 

In  starting  seedlings  the  two  essential  points 
to  remember  are,  —  first,  to  maintain  the  right 
amount  of  moisture ;  second,  to  maintain  the 
right  temperature  in  the  soil.  Seeds,  if  kept  too 
wet,  may  mould.  If  allowed  to  become  hot  and 
dry  at  times  the  little  plant  after  starting  may 
die.  Seedlings  may  be  started  in  many  different 
ways  if  moisture  and  temperature  are  carefully 
regulated.  Grass  sods  may  be  taken  into  the 
house,  placed  in  a  box  upside  down,  and  seeds 
planted  in  them.  They  may  be  planted  in  egg- 

100 


PREPARATION  FOR  SPRING 

shells,  in  strawberry  baskets,  or  in  small  boxes 
haying  coarse  material  in  the  bottom  with  holes 
made  for  drainage. 

A  good  garden  loam  is  all  right  for  starting 
seedlings.  Do  not  let  fertilizer  or  manure  come 
in  contact  with  the  seed.  If  seeds  ,-irfe  har.d  to 
germinate  or  sprout  they  may  te  placed, iji  a,  ^ 
box  or  flower-pot  near  the  kitchen  range  to 
insure  plenty  of  heat.  In  order  to  keep  them 
moist  also,  place  a  piece  of  paper  over  the  soil 
and  keep  it  wet.  As  soon  as  the  seedlings  start 
into  growth  they  need  not  only  heat  and  mois- 
ture, but  sunlight  also.  Whatever  is  used  for 
starting  them,  remember  it  is  important  to  have 
them  in  something  that  can  either  be  broken 
apart  or  set  in  the  ground,  as  sods,  so  that  the 
little  roots  will  not  be  disturbed.  Paper  flower- 
pots may  be  bought  at  the  seed-stores,  and  these 
may  be  removed  easily,  leaving  the  little  ball  of 
roots  unhurt. 

101 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

The  day  of  transplanting  them  into  the 
ground  is  an  important'  one.  If  the  roots  are 
torn  the  plant  suffers  a  shock  from  which  it  will 
not  speedily  recover.  Thoroughly  water  the 
little  plant  about  half  an  hour  before  removing 
it.  Prepare  the  places  and  fill  them  with  water. 

Tf ,  *  * . r'    T  '  •  *  *c  «e 

„-  jLift  and.set  the  plants,  carefully  arranging  the 
roots.  Shelter  them  from  a  hot  sun  for  a  week, 
but  uncover  them  at  night  so  they  may  receive 
the  dew.  Water  them  twice  a  day.  A  straw- 
berry-box if  high  enough  is  a  good  covering  for 
plants  just  set  out.  It  lets  the  air  in  at  the  cor- 
ners. Paper  tents  may  be  made  and  fastened 
down  at  the  corners  with  stakes  or  stones  or 
lumps  of  earth.  Do  not  set  seedlings  into  the 
ground  until  all  danger  from  frost  is  past,  and 
do  it  in  dull  weather  if  possible. 


X 

SPKING  WORK  IN  THE  GARDEN 


This  rule  in  gardening  ne'er  forget, 
To  sow  dry  and  set  wet. 

PROVERB. 


CHAPTER  X 

SPRING   WORK   IN   THE   GARDEN 

WHEN  the  birds  come  in  numbers  and  begin 
to  sing  their  songs  we  are  sure  that  spring  has 
come.  Wake  up  your  brown  bulbs  now.  Un- 
cover them  a  little  each  day.  The  winds  of 
March  sweep  the  earth  and  April's  showers 
wash  it,  but  still  a  rake  with  a  boy  behind  it 
can  reach  the  corners  and  crevices,  and  make 
the  place  look  cleaner.  Fallen  leaves  are  excel- 
lent for  mixing  with  the  soil  after  they  have 
decayed,  but  they  should  be  gathered  together 
for  this  purpose.  Leaves  lying  about  on  the 
ground  harbor  the  nests  of  insects.  Take  the 
leaves  to  the  compost  heap  ! 

What  is  the  compost  heap?  It  is  what  will 
make  your  garden  grow,  —  decaying  leaves  and 
sods,  bones,  any  greasy  substances  from  the 

105 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

cooking  kettles,,  manure,  if  you  have  it,  lime, 
all  mixed  together  and  allowed  to  decay  until 
the  day  your  garden  needs  an  extra  dose. 

Another  good  recipe  for  weak  plants  is  liquid 
manure.  Get  a  tub  or  barrel.  Put  manure  in 
the  bottom.  Fill  with  water.  Drain  or  dip  off 
the  water,  and  pour  it  about  the  roots  of  your 
plants.  Be  careful  not  to  put  it  on  the  tops  as 
it  might  burn  them.  Why  is  this  any  better 
than  manure  put  into  the  ground?  Do  you 
remember  in  the  Plant  Story  that  we  said  the 
rootlets  sucked  in  the  food  through  tiny  hair- 
like  tubes,  and  that  therefore  their  food  must 
be  taken  in  a  liquid  form  ?  Then  you  see 
why  this  liquid  manure  can  be  taken  in  more 
quickly. 

When  the  ground  is  warm  and  dry  spade 
your  garden  again  as  in  the  fall.  You  do  not 
gain  anything  by  spading  and  planting  while 
the  ground  is  wet  and  cold.  It  does  not  break 

106 


SPRING   WORK 

up  nicely,  but  lies  in  lumps,  and  it  is  wise  to 
wait  for  the  right  conditions. 

Again  rake  your  garden  thoroughly.  Use 
stake  and  line  to  make  the  edges  neat  and  even. 

In  planting  seed  remember  two  rules  :  First, 
for  depth  of  planting,  about  three  times  the  size 
of  the  seed.  Second,  for  distance  of  planting, 
according  to  future  growth  of  the  plant.  Some 
seeds  are  scattered,  some  sown  in  hills,  and 
some  in  drills.  Poppy-seed  is  often  scattered  on 
the  bed  and  raked  in.  Grass-seed  is  scattered, 
then  raked  and  pressed  into  the  ground.  Sweet 
corn  is  planted  in  hills.  This  does  not  mean 
that  the  ground  is  heaped  up  at  the  beginning 
of  the  season,  though  it  may  be  in  the  fall  by 
reason  of  the  hoeing.  It  means  that  small  cir- 
cular beds  are  planted  at  equal  distances,  and 
the  corn  instead  of  standing  in  drills  is  in  groups 
of  four  or  five  stalks  each.  Parsnip,  carrot  and 
many  other  seeds  are  planted  in  drills,  which 

107 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

are  like  tiny  furrows.  In  drills  there  may  be 
more  than  one  line  of  seed.  It  is  a  good  plan  to 
sow  them  alternately  in  two  lines.  When  you 
haye  had  more  experience  you  can  scatter  them 
along  the  drill,  but  not  too  thickly.  That  is  the 
danger  with  young  gardeners,  —  sowing  seed 
too  thickly.  Because  the  seed  is  small  do  not 
forget  the  size  of  the  plant.  Even  if  you  intend 
to  "  thin  out "  your  plants,  they  will  be  injured 
if  sown  too  thickly.  All  seeds  should  have  the 
ground  pressed  firmly  about  them.  The  soil 
holds  the  food,  moisture,  and  warmth  for  the 
little  plant,  and  we  are  helping  it  to  come  close 
to  its  needs  when  we  press  the  ground  around 
it.  Seeds  must  have  the  right  amount  of  heat, 
moisture,  and  air  in  order  to  sprout.  When  the 
plant  begins  to  grow,  it  must  have  light  and 
food  besides.  The  plant  just  beginning  to  grow 
has  within  the  seed-case  a  small  amount  of  food 
to  give  it  a  start.  Cut  open  a  bean  that  is  partly 

108 


A   FLOWER-GARDEN  JUST  STARTED 


THE   SAME   GARDEN  IN  FULL  BLOOM 


SPRING  WORK 

sprouted.  Find  the  tiny  plant  and  the  starchy 
food  about  it  for  it  to  feed  upon.  After  this 
store  is  used  up,  the  plant  must  obtain  food 
from  the  soil  in  which  you  have  placed  it. 

In  order  to  sprout,  seeds  must  haye  the  right 
amount  of  heat  and  moisture.  If  too  wet,  they 
may  decay.  If  allowed  to  become  dry,  the  little 
sprout  may  die.  If  the  spring  should  prove  to 
be  a  very  rainy  one  you  cannot  help  conditions, 
but  if  dry  and  hot  you  can  water  your  seed- 
lings twice  a  day  and  protect  them  from  a  hot 
midday  sun  with  newspapers  for  a  few  days.  If 
you  use  fertilizer,  be  careful  not  to  let  it  come 
in  contact  with  the  seed,  but  mix  it  thoroughly 
with  the  soil. 

It  is  pretty  safe  to  plant  seed  when  the  leaves 
have  started  out  on  the  trees.  Peas,  both  for 
flowers  and  for  vegetables,  may  be  planted 
earlier.  In  fact,  they  are  about  the  first  seeds 
to  be  planted  in  the  spring.  The  peas  should 

100 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

be  sown  in  rather  deep  drills,  but  covered  only 
the  ordinary  depth.  As  they  grow,  the  earth 
can  be  gradually  put  about  them  to  help  sup- 
port their  weak  yines  and  to  give  the  roots  a 
greater  covering  and  a  stronger  foothold. 

Young  plants  must  be  watched  and  cared 
for,  or  they  will  grow  too  thickly  or  be  killed 
out  by  weeds  and  insects.  In  thinning  out 
plants  it  is  best  to  choose  a  time  when  the 
ground  is  wet,  so  that  the  roots  of  all  the 
plants  will  not  be  disturbed  as  they  will  be  if 
you  do  it  when  the  soil  is  dry.  In  order  to 
save  your  plants  from  disturbance  place  your 
left  hand  nearly  flat  upon  the  ground,  letting 
the  stem  of  the  plant  you  wish  to  save  come 
between  your  index  and  middle  fingers,  but 
not  grasping  the  stem,  while  you  pull  out  the 
other  plant  with  your  right  hand.  If  your  ex- 
tra plants  are  weak  and  worthless,  throw  them 
away ;  but  if  they  are  good  strong  plants,  and 

110 


SPRING  WORK 

the  roots  are  not  broken,  either  set  them  in 
another  place  or  give  them  away. 

This  brings  us  to  the  question  of  trans- 
planting, —  which  is  a  very  important  one.  In 
the  first  place,  do  not  keep  plants  out  of  the 
ground  any  longer  than  you  can  help.  Haye  a 
place  all  ready  for  them  if  possible.  If  they 
cannot  be  set  immediately,  place  damp  soil 
over  their  roots  and  protect  them  from  the 
sunshine.  A  cloudy  day,  when  the  ground  is 
wet,  is  best  for  transplanting.  Decide  upon 
the  arrangement  for  your  plants,  then  make 
all  the  holes,  and  make  them  large  enough  to 
place  in  the  roots  without  cramping.  Fill  the 
holes  with  water,  unless  the  ground  is  very 
wet,  and  let  it  settle.  Set  each  plant  carefully, 
and  support  it  with  the  left  hand  while  you 
pack  the  earth  about  it  with  the  right.  Press 
the  earth  firmly  at  the  last,  and  see  that  the 
plant  is  erect.  Protect  it  from  a  hot  sun  for  a 

111 


LITTLE   GARDENS 
week  or  more  with  strawberry-boxes  or  news- 

«r«* 

paper  tents,  give  it  water  twice  a  day  unless  it 
rains,  and  uncover  it  to  the  dew  at  night. 

The  ground  should  not  be  disturbed  where 
young  seedlings  are  just  coming  up;  but  if 
they  are  in  definite  lines  you  can  safely  pull 
everything  between  and  even  risk  a  few  seed- 
lings, rather  than  let  the  weeds  get  a  start. 

One  word  about  veranda  and  window  boxes. 
They  are  splendid  if  well  cared  for.  The  box 
should  be  about  ten  inches  deep  and  one  foot 
wide.  It  should  be  filled  with  good  garden  soil. 
Plants  raised  in  a  box  need  more  water  than  in 
a  garden,  because  the  soil  dries  more  quickly. 
Geraniums,  fuchsias,  petunias,  and  moneywort 
are  perhaps  the  flowers  most  easily  grown  in  a 
window  or  veranda  box. 


XI 

DO  EOSES  GROW  FROM  SEED? 


The  lily  has  an  air, 

And  the  snowdrop  a  grace, 
And  the  sweet  pea  a  way, 

And  the  heart's-ease  a  face, 
Yet  there 's  nothing  like  the  rose 

When  she  blows. 

CHRISTINA  G.  ROSSETTI. 


CHAPTER  XI 

DO   ROSES    GROW   FROM    SEED? 

"  Do  roses  grow  from  seed  ? "  This  was  the 
question  of  a  very  little  girl  who  loved  flow- 
ers and  unknowingly  shared  the  opinion  of  all 
flower-lovers  when  she  said,  "I  love  roses." 
Yes,  roses  may  be  grown  from  seed,  but  they 
are  oftener  started  by  means  of  cuttings.  This 
brings  us  to  the  question  of  how  to  increase 
plants  in  other  ways  than  by  sowing  the  seed. 
In  the  chapter  on  Indoor  Gardening  we  spoke 
of  increasing  our  plants  by  "  slips,"  which  are 
green  or  soft  cuttings.  Propagation  is  the  word 
used  by  gardeners  in  speaking  of  the  increase 
of  plants  whether  by  seed  or  cutting. 

The  little  girl  who  loved  the  roses  very  wisely 
said,  "  I  have  n't  learned  to  grow  them  yet." 
She  did  not  know  that  very  few  people  have 

115 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

learned  to  grow  roses,  nor  did  she  know  that 

1* 

more  people,  even  boys  and  girls,  might  start 
roses  and  grow  them  if  they  wished  to  giye 
them  the  necessary  care.  Really,  the  care  of 
cuttings  is  not  much  harder  than  the  starting 
of  seedlings.  People  often  fail  in  this  and  count 
it  an  ordinary  loss  ! 

A  cutting  from  a  rosebush  should  be  taken 
from  the  part  that  is  neither  such  old  wood 
that  it  will  not  root  readily,  nor  so  green  that 
it  will  be  weak  and  liable  to  decay.  Make 
a  clear  cut  with  a  sharp  knife  below  a  joint 
and  secure  a  piece  haying  two  or  three  joints. 
Leave  only  a  few  leaves  upon  it.  Fill  a  flower- 
pot or  box  with  sharp  sand.  Make  a  hole. 
Place  the  cutting  in  it,  and  press  the  sand 
around  it  so  that  one  or  two  joints  will  be 
covered.  The  sand  must  not  be  allowed  to  be- 
come dry,  neither  must  it  be  kept  too  wet.  It 
must  not  be  placed  in  the  hot  sunshine  until 

116 


DO   ROSES   GROW   FROM   SEED? 

the  little  plant  has  begun  to  grow.  Plants  so 
started  are  not  strong  enough  to  be  wintered 
the  first  season  out  of  doors  without  protection, 
but  if  set  out  during  the  summer  or  early  fall 
months,  so  that  the  young  roots  get  a  good 
hold  before  cold  weather,  and  protected  with 
earth  and  leaves,  they  may  stand  the  winter. 
They  could  be  kept  in  a  cold-frame  packed 
with  leaves  and  perhaps  with  manure  about 
the  sides. 

There  are  different  kinds  of  cuttings.  "When 
we  plant  potatoes  we  make  cuttings  of  the  tu- 
bers, being  careful  to  have  one  or  two  "  eyes  " 
in  each  piece,  for  that  is  where  the  sprout  starts. 
Cuttings  may  be  started  by  being  inserted  be- 
neath the  bark  of  another  and  stronger  plant, 
as  apple  trees  are  started ;  then  they  are  called 
"  grafts."  There  is  an  interesting  way  of  start- 
ing plants  called  "  layering."  This  method  is 
often  used  with  carnations.  Instead  of  cutting 

117 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

a  piece  entirely  off,  a  sharp  cut  is  made  just 
below  a  joint,  but  a  bit  of  the  stem  is  left  un- 
cut. The  cut  part  is  bent  down  and  covered 
with  earth  except  for  a  few  inches,  and  the 
roots  form  there  while  the  "  slip  "  is  still  re- 
ceiving some  strength  from  the  parent  plant. 

Do  not  be  afraid  to  experiment  with  cut- 
tings even  if  you  lose  them  all  the  first  time. 
It  is  fun  to  have  a  tiny  nursery  of  cuttings,  — 
a  box  of  sharp  sand  in  a  protected  place  where 
they  will  receive  good  light  and  air,  but  not 
hot  sunshine.  Roots  usually  are  well  started  in 
a  few  weeks,  and  the  cuttings  may  then  be  care- 
fully set  into  soil,  but  they  must  be  watered 
and  carefully  tended.  Hardy  chrysanthemums 
are  easily  started  in  this  way,  and  are  splendid 
plants  to  own  because  of  the  lovely  bloom  they 
give  us  in  the  late  fall. 

When  people  are  trimming  their  plants  they 
are  quite  willing  to  give  away  cuttings.  The 

118 


DO   ROSES   GROW  FROM   SEED? 

kind  of  plants  that  are  started  by  means  of 
cuttings  require  much  the  same  care  as  other 
plants,  only  they  need  more  pruning,  which 
is  the  term  gardeners  use  for  trimming.  In 
pruning  a  tree  or  shrub,  cut  away  all  old  wood, 
and  the  numerous  small  shoots  which  start 
about  the  base  and  which  are  called  suckers 
because  they  take  the  life  from  the  old  plant. 
When  a  tree  or  shrub  is  in  a  dormant  con- 
dition, —  i.  e.,  is  not  bearing  developed  buds, 
flowers,  or  fruit,  —  cut  away  a  part  of  last 
year's  growth  evenly  throughout,  so  that  the 
future  growth  will  not  be  too  thick  and  thus 
weakened,  but  that  the  sunshine  and  air  may 
reach  all  the  parts. 


XII 

GAEDEN  HELPS  AND  HINDRANCES 


I  value  my  garden  more  for  being  full  of  blackbirds  than  of 
cherries,  and  very  frankly  give  them  fruit  for  their  songs. 

ADDISON. 


CHAPTER  XII 

GARDEN  HELPS  AND  HINDRANCES 

PETS  and  babies,  —  babies  of  all  kinds, — 
hens  and  chickens,  cats  and  kittens,  dogs  and 
puppies,  rabbits  and  all  the  rest,  threaten  the 
doom  of  our  garden.  In  fact,  it  seems  as  if  all 
the  lovable  creatures  of  the  animal  world  were 
our  enemies  in  the  garden,  because  their  wide- 
awake time  is  spent  mostly  in  eating  and  play- 
ing. What  is  the  remedy  ? 

Nothing  but  the  fence  for  most  of  them. 
Fence  them  in  or  fence  them  out,  and  give 
them  a  plenty  of  food  and  play  elsewhere.  If 
you  protect  your  garden,  when  it  is  first  coming 
up,  by  spreading  brush  over  it,  it  may  be  able 
to  stand  by  itself  later  on,  but  a  fence  or  a 
hedge  is  a  great  protection.  What  of  the  little 
brothers  and  sisters  who  like  to  play  at  gar- 

123 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

dening  and  in  the  garden,  and  with  or  with- 
out mischievous  intent  make  trouble  for  us? 
We  cannot  so  easily  fence  them  about !  Then 
teach  them  to  make  play  gardens  of  their  own, 
—  with  sand  and  stones,  sticks  and  weeds,  show 
them  how  to  make  a  little  play  garden. 

There  are  tiny  creatures  that  we  cannot 
fence  out,  for  they  fly  over  the  fence  or  crawl 
under  through  subways  of  their  own  making. 
Lady  Butterfly,  Madame  Dragon-fly,  and  all 
the  winged  creatures,  Mr.  Caterpillar,  Master 
Cutworm,  and  all  their  crawling  neighbors, 
come  to  visit  us.  Ah !  but  some  of  these  are 
our  friends,  and  we  would  not  fence  them  out 
if  we  could. 

In  time  we  shall  find  out  our  friends  from 
our  foes.  The  butterflies  and  bees  are  friendly, 
though  some  butterflies  and  moths  lay  eggs 
from  which  come  dangerous  enemies.  The  cut- 
worm is  an  enemy,  and  his  mother  is  a  night- 

124 


GARDEN  HELPS  AND  HINDRANCES 

flying  moth.  If  we  put  paper  collars  about  our 
larger  plants  we  may  sometimes  save  them  from 
being  destroyed.  Tobacco  dust,  chalk  lines,  or 
ashes  will  sometimes  prevent  an  enemy  from 
reaching  the  plant.  If  you  see  a  plant  lying  on 
the  ground  with  its  stalk  cut,  you  should  dig 
in  carefully  near  the  surface  of  the  ground  for 
the  cutworm,  who  is  usually  greenish  brown 
in  color.  He  must  be  taken  out  and  killed.  A 
wilting  aster  is  often  found  to  be  troubled  at 
the  roots  by  ants  or  grubs. 

The  insects  that  trouble  the  gardener  are 
treated  according  to  the  ways  in  which  they 
eat.  Some  chew  the  plant;  others  suck  the 
juices  from  it.  The  former  can  be  killed  by 
poisons  on  the  plant  which  they  will  eat ;  the 
latter  must  be  killed  by  contact  poisons,  or 
those  that,  touching  their  bodies,  will  suffo- 
cate them.  There  are  many  insect  poisons  on 
the  market,  and  any  seedsman  can  tell  you 

125 


LITTLE  GARDENS 

which  are  needed  for  the  kind  of  insect  that 
troubles  you,  but  most  of  them  are  dangerous 
to  man,  and  it  is  often  best  to  use  simpler 
remedies.  Sometimes  a  heavy  spray  of  clear 
water  will  wash  off  the  insects.  Sometimes  they 
can  be  knocked  off  and  gathered  in  a  can  of 
kerosene.  Ivory  soapsuds  cooled  and  weakened 
is  often  effective  ;  kerosene  may  be  added  to  it. 
Then  there  are  the  birds,  most  of  them  our 
friends,  —  yes,  all  of  them  if  we  are  not  stingy 
with  them.  Even  the  crow  eats  grubs  as  well 
as  corn,  and  the  rose-breasted  grosbeak  takes 
the  potato-beetles,  though  he  does  steal  a  few 
peas.  The  birds  are  of  such  great  assistance 
in  ridding  us  of  insect  pests,  we  should  protect 
them  as  much  as  possible.  In  every  garden 
should  be  a  bird-tray,  erected  some  distance 
above  the  ground.  In  the  tray  and  about  the 
support  plant  vines,  —  morning-glory  for  the 
support  and  moneywort  for  the  box.  Petunias 

126 


GARDEN  HELPS  AND  HINDRANCES 

may  also  flourish  in  the  box.  Food  may  be  scat- 
tered about,  or  tied  to  the  tree  or  post.  A  dish 
in  the  centre  of  the  tray  should  be  kept  clean 
and  filled  with  water.  Sometimes  a  flower-pot 
saucer,  or  shallow  dish,  filled  with  water,  and 
partly  hidden  among  the  flowers,  is  used  as  a 
bathtub  by  the  birds.  Twine,  feathers,  moss  and 
other  material  used  in  the  making  of  nests  may 
be  placed  near  the  tray  for  the  use  of  the  birds. 
Bird-houses  should  also  be  erected.  The  making 
of  bird-houses  and  bird-trays  is  explained  in  the 
chapter  on  Garden  Handicraft. 

Last  of  all,  let  us  talk  of  him  who  reigns 
King  of  the  Garden.  He  with  the  bright  eye, 
the  quick  tongue,  —  if  he  could  talk,  I  'm  sure 
he  would  be  witty  !  He  of  the  brown  coat  and 
pale  yellow  waistcoat,  sturdy  and  harmless, 
helpful  and  true !  May  we  never  harm  him ! 
And  if  perchance  we  happen  to  turn  him  sud- 
denly from  his  resting-place  in  the  ground,  let 

127 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

us  not  frighten  him,  but  gently  move  away  and 
giye  him  time  to  see  what  has  happened. 

Ah,  Mr.  Toad,  you  are  my  friend  indeed ! 
Only  the  other  day  an  aster  in  my  garden  was 
dying,  A  large  white  grub  was  found  at  the 
root.  I  was  about  to  move  him  out  to  the  hard 
ground  to  kill  him,  when  from  somewhere 
among  the  leaves  came  Mr.  Toad  with  a  hop- 
pity  hop  !  Mr.  Grub  began  to  put  his  head  to 
the  ground  and  burrow  again  to  hide  himself. 
Mr.  Toad  saw  the  necessity  for  haste,  and  hop- 
pity  hop,  gulp,  gulp,  gulp !  Oh,  what  a  swallow  ! 
Well,  my  trouble  was  over,  the  aster  plant  res- 
cued, Mr.  Toad  my  protector.  And  he  is  for- 
ever catching  flies  and  other  insects.  He  likes 
a  cool  shelter  from  the  hot  midday  sun;  an 
overturned  box  or  a  flower-pot  with  a  slight 
excavation  near  one  side  will  make  it  possible 
for  him  to  stay  in  your  garden. 

An  aquarium  or  basin  of  water  is  a  fine  thing 

128 


GARDEN  HELPS  AND  HINDRANCES 

to  have  in  your  garden,  but  it  is  difficult  to  keep 
it  clean.  However,  the  toad  will  assist  you  in 
this  matter  if  you  will  put  in  the  basin  some 
stones  just  reaching  the  surface  of  the  water  so 
that  he  may  hop  on  them.  A  dish  of  water  may 
be  used  and  cleaned  often,  but  a  permanent 
aquarium  should  be  made  of  cement. 

With  whatever  kind  of  life  we  may  be  deal- 
ing, let  us  remember  this,  never  fear,  nor  make 
afraid.  Fear  never  did  any  good  in  the  world. 
It  makes  a  coward  of  you  to  be  afraid.  It  hurts 
you  to  make  another  life  have  fear.  You  may 
think  it  does  not  hurt  you  to  tease  and  frighten 
creatures.  But  it  doesn't  harm  the  creature 
half  so  much  as  it  harms  you.  It  hurts  the  little 
boy  or  girl  inside,  and  when  you  are  grown  up 
you  may  find  it  out  some  day.  So  kill  merci- 
fully when  you  must  kill,  and  try  to  find  some 
good  use  for  all  life.  If  an  insect  must  be  killed, 
put  it  on  a  hard  place  and  kill  it  quickly. 


XIII 

SUMMER  IN  THE  GARDEN 


And  hushed  is  the  roar  of  the  bitter  north 

Before  the  might  of  Spring, 
And  up  the  frozen  slope  of  the  world 

Climbs  Summer,  triumphing. 


Storm  the  earth  with  odors  sweet, 
O  ye  flowers,  that  blaze  in  light ! 

Crowd  about  June's  shining  feet, 
All  ye  blossoms  bright. 


O  the  fragrance  of  the  air 

With  the  breathing  of  the  flowers  ! 

CELIA  THAXTEB. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

SUMMER   IN   THE   GARDEN 

THE  first  part  of  summer  in  a  garden  is  tedi- 
ous, —  the  hardest  part  of  the  garden  year ;  but 
the  harvest  soon  follows,  and  we  are  rewarded 
according  to  our  faithfulness.  If  you  keep  a 
garden  thoroughly  weeded  and  in  first-class 
condition  until  the  first  or  middle  of  July  it  is 
little  trouble  after  that,  and  if  you  wish  for  a 
week's  vacation,  you  can  then  leave  your  gar- 
den for  a  few  days  and  not  much  harm  will 
come. 

Perhaps  you  think  the  greatest  problem  in 
your  garden  now  is  how  to  deal  with  the  weeds. 
It  is  a  problem,  but  easily  solved.  Be  observant. 
When  your  plants  first  appear  then  come  the 
weeds  also,  but  if  you  have  planted  in  straight 
rows,  you  are  safe  in  destroying  everything 

133 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

between  them.  If  you  have  not  planted  in  rows, 
or  if  weeds  are  badly  mixed  with  your  plants, 
discover  which  are  your  plants  by  noticing  the 
leaves.  This  may  not  be  easy  the  first  year  of 
your  garden  unless  you  can  get  some  one  to  tell 
you,  but  if  you  watch  carefully  you  will  soon 
know  all  the  common  weeds.  The  first  two 
leaves  of  a  plant  are  often  very  different  from 
those  that  follow,  but  you  will  learn  these  dif- 
ferences in  a  little  time  with  patience. 

You  should  keep  the  soil  stirred  between 
your  plants  after  they  are  started  so  that  the 
weeds  will  never  grow.  There  ought  never  to 
be  any  weeds  large  enough  to  pull,  for  a  stick, 
or  a  weeder,  or  a  small  hoe  or  i*ake,  will  destroy 
all  tiny  sprouting  weeds ;  but  if  a  weed  has 
mastered  you  so  that  it  must  be  pulled,  then 
grasp  it  near  the  root  and  do  not  break  it  off, 
for  it  will  grow  again.  If  the  weed  is  near  a 
plant,  place  one  hand  firmly  on  the  ground 

134 


THE  RIGHT  WAY   TO   WEED  A   FLOWER-BED 


WATERING   THE   GARDEN 


SUMMER  IN  THE   GARDEN 

about  your  plant  so  that  the  soil  will  not  be 
moved,  and  pull  the  weed  with  the  other  hand 
at  one  side.  There  are  a  few  weeds  so  strong 
of  root  that  pulling  is  not  enough  without  pry- 
ing. Take  a  trowel,  or  a  fork,  and  work  it  well 
down  by  the  root,  being  careful  to  put  in  the 
tool  straight  and  not  slanting,  so  that  it  will 
not  cut  off  the  root.  Lift,  pry,  and  pull  the 
weed  until  you  have  root  and  all.  The  point 
of  a  hoe  is  often  more  effective  than  the  full 
edge  of  the  blade  when  weeding. 

Not  only  should  your  garden  beds  be  free  of 
weeds,  but  no  weeds  should  be  allowed  to  grow 
about  your  garden.  The  paths  should  be  kept 
clean.  In  cleaning  a  path  start  at  one  end  with 
the  weeds  and  path  ahead  of  you,  not  behind. 
First  take  out  each  weed  with  the  point  of 
your  hoe.  Then  rake  and  level  your  path. 

Watering  is  always  a  problem  in  the  garden. 
In  the  first  place,  you  will  find  that  a  good  gar- 

135 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

dener  does  not  always  depend  upon  a  daily 
watering  except  in  drought,  though  of  course 
water  is  what  makes  a  garden  look  so  refreshing 
in  summer,  and  it  is  welcomed  by  most  plants 
in  large  quantities  in  the  summer  time.  What 
is  more  necessary  than  water  is  the  constant 
stirring  of  the  soil,  —  a  shallow  hoeing.  Learn 
to  use  a  hoe  lightly  and  effectively.  If  the  soil 
is  allowed  to  become  hard  tiny  holes  can  be  seen 
on  its  surface.  These  are  little  water-ways,  and 
the  water  that  is  down  in  the  soil  is  coming  up 
to  the  air  and  sunshine.  Break  up  these  water- 
ways with  a  light  hoeing  and  the  water  must 
stay  in  the  soil  where  it  is  needed  by  the  roots. 
The  moisture  is  often  kept  in  the  ground  in 
hot  weather  by  laying  grass  cuttings  about  the 
plants.  This  is  called  mulching. 

The  neatness  and  thriftiness  of  a  garden 
in  summer  depend  much  upon  careful  train- 
ing and  trimming  of  plants.  Some  plants  need 

136 


SUMMER  IN   THE   GARDEN 


stakes,  some  need  trellises.  Plants  like  toma- 
toes, if  not  given  support,  should  have  plenty 
of  grass  cuttings  thrown  on  the 
ground  about  them  in  order  that 
the  fruit  may  not  rot  on  the 
ground.  Peas  should  always  have 
support,  for  they  bear  better,  and 
in  damp  weather  mould  if  al- 
lowed to  lie  on  the  ground.  If 
pea  brush  cannot  be  obtained, 
buy  wire  netting,  which  will  last 
for  some  time  if  preserved  from 
the  weather  when  not  in  use.  Many  little  an- 
nual plants,  especially  petunias,  do  better  for 
being  cut  back. 

When  stirring  the  soil  in  summer,  if  a  little 
fertilizer  is  added  the  plants  will  do  better. 

August  is  the  time  to  start  plants  for  the 
winter  garden.  Potting  and  repotting  should 
be  done  now,  so  that  the  plants  will  be  well 

137 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

started  when  taken  into  the  house.  Some  gar- 
den plants  bloom  well  in  winter  if  potted  now 
and  cut  back  very  closely.  Petunias  and  salvias 
are  easily  grown,  and  are  good  bloomers  in  the 
house. 

The  starting  of  perennial  and  biennial  plants 
from  seed  is  often  done  at  this  time  of  year. 
If  started  in  the  spring  they  will  be  larger, 
stronger  plants  to  stand  the  winter,  and  their 
blooms  may  be  larger  the  next  season.  But  in 
the  springtime  we  are  usually  too  busy  with 
our  annuals  to  give  any  care  to  perennials,  and 
the  latter  part  of  July,  or  the  first  of  August, 
there  are  usually  cloudy,  moist  days  that  give 
us  again  almost  the  conditions  that  we  had  for 
the  spring  seedlings.  Nature  is  sowing  many 
of  her  seeds  now,  for  some  have  ripened,  and 
even  in  your  garden  you  may  find  tiny  seed- 
lings starting  close  by  the  mother  plant.  The 
seedlings  that  come  up  most  quickly  of  them- 

138 


SUMMER  IN  THE   GARDEN 

selves  are  often  found  beneath  the  shelter  of  a 
large  leaf  which  has  protected  them  from  too 
hot  a  sun ;  and  if  there  is  one  special  thing 
that  seeds  need  at  this  time  of  year  in  case 
the  sunshine  is  hot  and  the  air  dry,  it  is  a 
protection  of  lath  or  newspaper  until  they  are 
fairly  started.  Give  them  water  twice  a  day 
unless  it  rains.  August  is  just  the  time  to  sow 
pansy  seed,  and  thus  get  strong,  early  blooming 
plants  for  another  season.  Sweet  Williams  and 
foxgloves  are  easily  raised  at  this  time  of  year. 


XIV 

THE  HARVEST 


Then  came  the  Autumn,  all  in  yellow  clad, 
As  though  he  joyed  in  his  plenteous  store, 
Laden  with  fruits  that  made  him  laugh,  full  glad 
That  he  had  banished  hunger.  .  .  . 
And  in  his  hand  a  sickle  he  did  hold, 
To  reap  the  ripened  fruits  the  which  the  earth  had  yold. 

SPENSER. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE   HARVEST 

THE  harvest  is  your  reward.  Yet  it  is  not  all 
play.  It  is  serious  though  enjoyable  work  to 
gather  the  crops  and  dispose  of  them  in  the  best 
way.  The  harvest  begins  as  soon  as  there  is  any- 
thing ripe  to  gather,  and  that  happens  all  along, 
though  the  abundance  comes  in  the  fall  of  the 
year  when  the  farmers  gather  the  fruit  of  their 
season's  labor. 

The  harvesting  of  flowers  is  an  enjoyable 
study  in  arrangement  of  color,  line,  and  texture. 
Ofttimes  a  single  flower  in  a  vase  gives  us  more 
enjoyment  than  a  mass  of  flowers,  because  then 
we  see  all  the  beauty  of  stem  and  leaf  and  the 
shape  and  color  in  each  petal.  Though  we 
usually  prefer  a  delicate  blending  of  color  in  a 
bouquet,  sometimes  our  color  thirst  is  quenched 

143 


LITTLE  GARDENS 

by  a  wild  blaze  of  color  and  plenty  of  green  foli- 
age to  blend  it.  Such  a  combination  may  be  had 
with  zinnias  and  mignonette.  White  sweet  alys- 
sum  or  candytuft  often  serves  the  same  purpose 
in  a  bouquet  that  it  does  in  the  garden,  some- 
times encircling  the  bouquet,  and  sometimes 
mingling  with  it  and  blending  the  flowers. 
Have  three  kinds  of  vases  for  your  flowers,  — 
one  tall  and  slender,  another  broad  and  shal- 
low, and  a  third  strong  and  large  to  hold  a  mass 
of  flowers. 

If  flowers  are  to  be  marketed  cut  them  in 
the  cool  hours  of  the  early  morning  or  else 
at  night,  and  keep  them  in  water.  Do  not  cut 
flowers  that  are  over-ripe.  Poppies  should  be 
cut  before  they  open,  if  used  as  cut  flowers  at 
all,  because  their  petals  fall  so  quickly.  Protect 
cut  flowers  from  strong  light,  unless  they  are 
such  as  need  it  to  make  them  open. 

In  marketing  vegetables  remember,  as  we 

144 


THE   REWARD   OF  THE   HARVEST 


THE   HARVEST 

said  in  the  chapter  on  Spring  Work,  "  As  the 
early  bird  catches  the  worm,  so  the  early  mar- 
ket-gardener gets  the  price."  An  early  crop  is 
desirable,  but  a  good  crop  at  any  time  brings 
a  good  price,  and  quality  should  be  considered 
more  than  quantity.  Vegetables  should  be  gath- 
ered in  the  early  hours  of  the  morning  and  de- 
livered early  in  the  day.  They  may  be  washed 
in  cool  water,  and  often  some  old  dead  leaves 
removed;  but  the  root  must  sometimes  be 
allowed  to  remain,  as  cutting  it  off  causes  the 
vegetable  to  lose  some  of  the  juices  which  make 
it  palatable.  This  is  especially  true  of  beets. 
The  roots  of  lettuce  may  be  cut,  leaving  a  good 
stem.  Vegetables,  when  gathered,  should  be 
protected  from  the  sun. 

Both  vegetables  and  flowers  are  usually  at 
their  best  marketable  stage  for  only  a  few  days, 
and  therefore  a  daily  round  of  the  garden  is 
necessary  for  the  market-gardener.  Peas  must 

145 


LITTLE   GARDENS 

be  nearly  full  size,  yet  tender  and  green.  String 
beans  must  not  have  developed  to  the  point 
when  they  become  leathery  and  stringy.  Beets 
should  be  at  least  two  and  one  half  inches 
through  the  widest  part,  unless  they  are  sold 
top  and  all  when  very  small  to  be  used  as 
greens. 

Let  me  say  right  here  that  some  vegetables 
which  grow  wild  and  may  not  be  marketable 
are  good  wholesome  food  for  the  table.  One 
is  that  troublesome  weed  called  "  pusley."  It 
makes  good  greens,  and  in  hot  weather  is  much 
better  for  us  than  many  things.  It  needs  plenty 
of  butter  and  salt  and  a  little  pepper  mixed 
with  it  when  taken  from  the  stove.  Every  one 
knows  the  dandelion  greens,  and  some  know 
that  a  delicious  salad  may  be  made  from  the 
first  fresh  buds  just  as  they  start  from  the 
ground  in  the  springtime.  Some  people  use 
"  lambs'  quarters  "  and  other  of  our  wild  vege- 

146 


THE  HARVEST 

tables,  but  it  is  never  safe  to  use  any  except- 
ing those  which  we  thoroughly  know. 

Seed  gathering  may  be  considered  a  part 
of  the  harvest.  Some  people  will  say,  "  Never 
gather  any  seed.  Buy  it  from  the  seedsman, 
who  knows  best  how  to  raise  it  and  gather  it." 
This  may  be  true  of  certain  kinds  of  seed,  and 
true  of  all  seed  if  you  buy  of  a  first-class  seeds- 
man; but  the  seed  gathered  from  your  own 
garden  often  proves  itself  to  have  more  vital- 
ity than  seed  bought  at  the  stores.  Only  learn 
this  :  if  you  wish  to  save  seed,  save  only  a  small 
quantity  and  only  the  best.  Mark  the  plants 
that  are  well  developed  and  of  good  quality. 
Remove  the  smaller,  poorer  blooms  from  them 
and  gather  only  the  best  seed. 

In  harvesting,  always  gather  everything  that 
has  ripened  and  dispose  of  it  in  some  way.  Make 
and  keep  the  garden  clean. 


XV 

IN  THE  YEAES  TO  COME 


And  still  the  constant  earth  renews 
Her  treasured  splendor ;  still  unfold 
Petals  of  purple  and  of  gold 

Beneath  the  sunshine  and  the  dews. 


'T  is  God  who  breathes  the  triumph ;  He  who  wrought 
The  tender  curves,  and  laid  the  tints  divine 

Along  the  lovely  lines ;  the  Eternal  Thought 
That  troubles  all  our  lives  with  wise  design. 

CEEIA  THAXTER. 


CHAPTER  XV 

IN   THE   YEARS   TO   COME 

PERHAPS  this  has  been  your  first  serious 
garden  season  with  its  successes  and  failures. 
Learn  lessons  from  your  failures  and  your  suc- 
cesses alike.  Both  are  stepping-stones  to  better 
things.  All  the  time,  I  suppose,  you  have  not  for- 
gotten the  great  world-garden  of  which  yours 
is  a  part.  If  we  all  loved  this  God-given  garden 
as  we  should,  and  cared  for  it,  and  thought  and 
planned  to  keep  it  a  beautiful  place,  how  much 
we  should  do  in  the  years  to  come  to  make  our 
own  little  garden  expand  and  help  to  start 
many  another  garden  !  Plant  life  is  so  great  a 
part  of  our  life  we  cannot  ignore  it.  We  de- 
pend upon  it  for  life.  It  clothes  the  earth  in 
thousands  of  forms,  to  feed  animals,  to  house 

men,  to  give  pleasure,  food,  and  raiment.  When 

151 


LITTLE  GARDENS 

I  hold  a  plant  in  my  hand  I  hold  a  secret.  Its 
secret  of  life  I  cannot  guess.  None  can  tell  me. 
But  I  learn  of  its  ways  a  thousand  lessons,  and 
I  am  satisfied. 

Had  you  thought  that  this  garden-work  was 
only  a  pastime  for  the  present  ?  I  hope  not,  for 
no  matter  what  your  work  in  life,  you  will  do 
it  better  if  you  always  keep  one  corner  of  your 
mind  for  the  helpful  friendship  of  a  garden. 
There  is  no  end  to  the  pleasure  to  be  found  in 
a  garden.  It  is  a  source  of  much  knowledge  and 
experience  that  will  help  you  far  beyond  the 
garden's  limits. 

Aside  from  your  garden,  it  is  interesting  to 
have  a  little  plot  for  experimenting,  for  odds 
and  ends,  and  for  starting  new  things.  Some 
people  take  great  delight  in  making  gardens 
for  special  purposes,  herb  gardens  of  quaint 
flavors  and  sweet  odors,  trial  gardens  of  new 
varieties.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  take  one  kind  of 

152 


IN   THE  YEARS   TO   COME 

plant,  —  the  bean,  for  instance,  —  and  see  how 
many  varieties  you  can  raise,  find  their  compar- 
ative value,  and  learn  all  you  can  about  them 
both  in  books  and  through  observation. 

It  may  be  you  will  find  your  life  work  among 
the  plants,  —  as  a  market-gardener,  a  landscape- 
gardener  or  landscape-architect,  a  nurseryman, 
a  seedsman,  a  florist,  or  as  one  of  those  few 
who  go  about  helping  boys  and  girls  and  every- 
body to  make  the  world-garden  stronger  and 
brighter  and  more  beautiful. 

This  one  thing  remember,  -  -  that  if  you  wish 
to  make  a  beautiful  and  useful  garden,  all  the 
knowledge  in  the  world,  were  it  yours,  would  be 
of  little  use,  if  you  were  not  willing  to  work  hard 
at  times,  and  to  persevere  daily  in  watching  and 
caring  for  your  plants.  A  daily  round  of  the 
garden  and  a  daily  perseverance  in  fulfilling 
the  needs  of  the  day,  however  slight,  are  neces- 
sary. It  is  love  and  care  that  make  a  garden. 


RitoersiDe 

CAMBRIDGE  .  MASSACHUSETTS 
U    .    S    .    A 


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